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MORMON  TEMPLE  NOW  BEING  BUILT  IN  SALT  LAKE  CITY 


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LIFE  IN  UTAH; 

OR,  THE 

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MYSTERIES  AND  CRUS  i 


BEING  AN  EXPOSE 

OF  THE 


SECRET  RITES 


LATTER- 


FDLL  AND  AUTHENTIC  HISTORY  OF  POLYGAMY  A 

SECT  FROM  ITS  ORIGIN  TO  THE  PRESENT  TIM 


BY 


A* 


J.  IL  BEADLE, 

EDITOR  OP  THE  SALT  LAKE  RE'PORfETl^  AND  UTAH  CORRESPONDENT 
OF  THE  CINCINNATI  COMMERCIAL. 


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a  copy  should  address  the  publishers,  and  an  agent  will  call  upon  them. — See  page 


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Jim 

NATIONAL  PUBLISHING  COMPAN1^fiR*V 

PHILADELPHIA,  Pa.;  CHICAGO,  III.  ;  CINCINNATI,  Ohio;  S'j^Q£fSt  jo* 

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Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1870,  by 
J.  R.  JONES, 

In  the  Clerk’s  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States,  in  and  for  the  Eastern 

District  of  Pennsylvania. 


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CHESTNUT  Hill.  MA  02167 


TO 


GENERAL  W.  H.  H.  BEADLE, 

LONG  A  COMPANION  IN  STUDY  AND  HOPE, 

ALWAYS 

A  TRUE  BROTHER  AND  HELPER: 

AS  A 

SLIGHT  TESTIMONIAL  FOR  VALUABLE  SUGGESTIONS 

IN  THE 

INCEPTION  OF  THE  WORK, 

AND 

SUBSTANTIAL  AID  IN  ITS  EXECUTION  \ 

THIS  VOLUME 

IS  AFFECTIONATELY  DEDICATED 

BY  THE  AUTHOR. 


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PREFACE. 


America  is  the  paradise  of  heterodoxy.  All  sorts  of 
wild,  strange  and  even  abominable  religions  flourish 
unchecked,  side  by  side,  and  generally  without  violent 
collision.  The  wild  dreams  of  the  fervid  Oriental  im¬ 
agination  ;  the  vague  shadowings  of  Gothic  mysticism ; 
the  coarse  materialism  of  French  infidelity,  and  the 
ideal  fancies  of  Greek  and  Asiatic,  all  the  errors  and 
worn  out  theories  of  the  Old  World,  of  schisms  in  the 
early  Church,  the  monkish  age  and  the  rationalistic 
period,  find  here  a  free  air,  a  fertile  soil,  a  more  congenial 
clime  and  a  second  native  country,  as  it  were,  in  which 
new  and  more  luxuriant  growths  spring  rapidly  from 
the  old  and  half  dead  stocks  of  pseudo-theology. 

But  the  inventive  American  mind  is  not  content 
merely  with  old  errors,  and  the  Yankee  is  nothing  if 
not  practical;  hence  we  see  that  to  every  new  or  purely 
American  phase  of  religious  error,  there  is  always  tacked 
a  feature  of  political  power,  communism  of  property, 
social  license  or  moral  perversion,  a  general  revolt 

against  accepted  theories  in  law,  medicine,  marriage, 

5 


6 


PREFACE. 


government  or  social  relations.  Let  tlie  extreme  tend 
which  way  it  will,  it  is  equally  an  extreme ;  whether 
of  the  anti-marriage  Shakers,  the  celibate  Harmonists, 
the  wife-communists  of  Oneida,  or  the  polygamous  Mor¬ 
mons.  All  this  is,  perhaps,  a  necessary  evil— an  inevit¬ 
able  adjunct  to  a  great  good.  In  the  perfect  liberty  of 
conscience  guaranteed,  the  perverted  or  diseased  con¬ 
science  is  equally  free  with  the  pure  or  healthy ;  and 
where  every  man  is  free  to  choose  as  he  will,  it  is 
reasonable  to  suppose  that  many  will  choose  but  poorly. 
Like  all  good  principles  this  liberty  of  conscience  is 
strangely  liable  to  abuse ;  but  a  careful  examination 
will  show,  I  think,  that  the  present  condition  is  far 
better,  with  all  its  evil  outgrowths,  than  would  be  any 
aiming  at  repression.  Repression  is  not  unity.  Sup¬ 
pose  either  of  the  prominent  sects  to  be  made  the 
Established  Church — if  indeed  the  mind  can  possibly 
conceive  of  an  Established  Church  in  America — the 
Methodist,  for  instance;  then  would  that  church  at 
once  lose  many  of  its  communicants ;  most  people  would 
avoid  it  to  the  farthest  extent  allowed  by  law,  not  from 
any  particular  hostility  to  that  one  church,  but  simply 
because  it  was  established. 

We  may,  indeed,  congratulate  ourselves,  that  with  such 
perfect  liberty  of  choice  so  few  have  adopted  beliefs  at 
all  dangerous  either  to  the  State  or  to  society;  for 
these  last  are  the  only  questions  with  which  we  have  a 


PREFACE. 


7 


right  to  deal.  But  certain  forms  of  belief  cannot  pos¬ 
sibly  confine  themselves  to  speculative  errors ;  the  per¬ 
version  of  moral  and  ethical  principles  is  too  radical  to 
be  confined  to  the  heart,  and  the  hideous  moral  gan¬ 
grene,  starting  from  the  -soul  and  center,  works  out¬ 
wardly  through  the  life  in  all  manner  of  corruption, 
confusion  and  abomination.  When  the  faith  is  per¬ 
fectly  inwrought,  it  cannot  but  show  itself  in  acts,  and 
with  these  the  State  has  a  right  to  deal.  Perfect  tolera¬ 
tion  is  due  to  all  beliefs,  and  these  gross  forms  of  error 
only  demand  attention  when  endeavoring,  against  the 
good  of  the  State,  to  make  a  peculiar  moral  condition 
the  general  law  for  a  whole  people,  and  still  more  as 
laboring  tQ  radically  pervert  the  Christian  idea  of  mar¬ 
riage.  If  the  experience  of  all  civilized  nations  for 
three  thousand  years,  and  the  best  judgment  of  the 
best  minds  in  law  founded  upon  that  experience,  have 
proved  any  one  fact  more  than  another,  it  is  that  the 
marriage  relation  should  be  strictly  regulated  by  law, 
that  the  State  has  an  absolute  right  to  prescribe  the 
civil  conditions  accompanying  and  the  civil  rights  re¬ 
sulting  from  it ;  and  that  the  human  passions,  whether 
excited  by  mere  lust  or  by  religious  fanaticism,  must  be 
controlled  by  positive  law.  It  matters  not  if  an  indi¬ 
vidual  esteem  it  his  natural  right  to  act  contrary  to  ex¬ 
press  law,  or  if  several  individuals  constituting  a  commu¬ 
nity  believe  it  to  be  a  religious  right ;  they  are  equally 
subject  thereto,  and  must  take  the  legal  consequence  of 


8 


PREFACE. 


disobedience.  It  is  then  a  gratifying  fact,  that  so  few 
have  adopted  beliefs  tending  to  pervert  the  marriage 
relation.  Of  the  forty  millions  in  America  less  than 
half  a  million  are  included  in  all  of  such  sects.  In  this 
light  liberty  of  conscience  in  America  is  almost  a  per¬ 
fect  success. 

The  vast  majority  of  our  people  have  founded  their 
religious  belief  on  theories  not  inimical  to  the  public 
good;  and  the  scores  of  varying  sects  which  arise  from 
year  to  year,  generally  do  so  only  to  run  a  brief  and 
meteor-like  race,  and  sink  like  dissolved  exhalations  in 
the  bogs  and  mire  of  ignorance  from  which  they  arose. 
But  occasionally  we  see  one  of  these  parasitic  growths 
upon  the  body  of  religious  freedom,  which,  from  peculiar 
and  special  causes,  extends  its  existence  beyond  what 
we  would  naturally  look  for;  and  a  few,  originally 
transplanted  from  Europe  where  the  parent  organiza¬ 
tion  has  long  since  expired,  maintain  a  sort  of  sickly 
life  through  two  or  three  generations  in  America.  Of 
such  are  the  Shakers  from  England,  and  the  Har¬ 
monists  from  Germany.  But  where  in  contact  with 
vital  Christianity,  they  must  sooner  or  later  yield; 
their  wild  enthusiam  is  sufficient  for  rise  and  growth, 
but  lacks  the  virtuous  energy  to  direct  and  continue. 
To  such,  comparatively  innocent  and  harmless,  the 
public  direct  little  attention.  But  there  are  a  few, 
which  manage  to  preserve  a  sort  of  isolation  even  in 
the  midst  of  other  sects,  or  in  extreme  cases,  to  get 


PREFACE. 


9 


apart  and  aside,  and  maintain  for  a  long  period  an 
independent  existence.  Of  these  none  have  attained 
to  such  prominence  as  the  sect  called  Mormons.  Hav¬ 
ing  leaders  at  once  sagacious  and  unscrupulous,  they 
have  long  managed  to  avoid  whatever  contact  would 
weaken  their  organization.  We  have  seen  them,  from 
small  and  obscure  beginnings,  rise  to  a  strength  suffi¬ 
cient  to  create  a  local  rebellion  in  Missouri;  trans¬ 
planted  thence  to  Illinois,  rise  to  a  threatening  power ; 
transplanted  again,  flourish  rapidly  for  a  while,  and 
though  now  evidently  on  the  decline,  yet  strong  enough 
to  create  a  difficult  and  delicate  political  problem,  and 
like  the  Bohon  Upas,  overshadow  a  whole  Territory 
with  a  deadly  influence.  Scattered  through  the  nation 
Mormonism  would  be  the  weakest  of  all  religions; 
collected  into  one  Territory,  and  ruling  there  with  al¬ 
most  absolute  power,  they  present  a  painfully  interest¬ 
ing  problem.  Comparatively,  their  numbers  are  trifling ; 
locally,  they  are-  of  great  importance.  In  the  light  of 
the  principles  here  enunciated,  and  with  perfect  con¬ 
fidence  in  their  correctness,  this  work  has  been  prepared; 
with  a  view  to  the  better  enlightenment  of  the  Ameri¬ 
can  public  on  this  question  and  if  possible,  to  make  the 
duty  of  Government  and  people  more  plain,  to  set 
forth  the  most  salient  points  in  the  progress  of 
religious  imposture,  and  to  draw  attention  to  a  Territory 
rich  in  natural  resources.  It  is  believed  that  the 
work  contains  most  of  the  material  facts  of  interest 


10 


PREFACE. 


in  regard  to  Utah  and  the  Mormons ;  whether  of  the 
climate  and  resources  of  the  former,  cfr  the  history, 
theology  and  peculiar  social  practices  of  the  latter. 

The  history  of  the  sect  is  drawn  from  many  sources : 

• 

from  their  own  works,  from  personal  records  of  several 
who  have  spent  many  years  among  them,  from  evidence 
published  by  the  State  of  Missouri,  from  official  docu¬ 
ments  of  States  or  the  General  Government,  from 
previous  compilations  and  other  accredited  sources. 
Of  charges  against  the  Mormons,  not  fully  proved,  the 
statements  for  and  against  them  have  been  equally 
presented.  The  same  rules  of  evidence  have  been  ap¬ 
plied  in  summing  up  their  history,  as  are  held  applicable 
in  courts  of  justice.  The  author  s  opportunities  for 
personal  observation  will  be  seen  in  the  course  of  the 
work.  The  author  is  well  aware  of  the  many  imperfec¬ 
tions  of  the  work,  but  does  not  seek  to  disarm  criticism 
by  a  prefaced  apology;  it  is  given  as  a  compilation 
of  testimony,  on  which  the  reader  has  the  same 
privilege  of  passing  judgment  as  the  author  has  exer¬ 
cised  on  those  before  him.  Whatever  may  be  thought 
of  the  style  in  which  they  are  presented,  I  trust  many 
of  the  facts  will  be  found  interesting,  and  if  the  work 
should  excite  an  intelligent  interest  among  the  Ameri¬ 
can  people,  in  regard  to  the  affairs  of  Utah,  it  will  have 
accomplished  the  dearest  wish  of  the  author. 

J.  H.  B. 

Corinne,  Utah  Territory,  April  5 th,  1870. 


CONTENTS. 


■o 


CHAPTER  I. 

HISTORICAL. 

Birth  and  early  life  of  the  Mormon  Prophet — The  original  Smith 
family — Opinion  of  Brigham  Young — The  “peep-stone” — “  Call¬ 
ing”  of  Joe  Smith— The  Golden  Plates— “  Reformed  Egyptian” 
translated— “  Book  of  Mormon  ”  published — Synopsis  of  its  con¬ 
tents — Real  author  of  the  work— “  The  glorious  six  ”  first  converts 
— Emma  Smith,  “  Elect  Lady  and  Daughter  of  God  ”— Sidney  Rig- 
don  takes  the  field — First  Hegira — “  Zion  ”  in  Missouri— Ivirtland 
Bank — Swindling  and  “persecution” — War  in  Jackson  County — 
Smith  “marches  on  Missouri” — Failure  of  the  “  Lord’s  Bank  ” — 
Flight  of  the  Prophet— “  Mormon  War” — Capture  of  Smith — 
Flight  into  Illinois .  21 


CHAPTER  II. 

HISTORY  FROM  THE  FOUNDING  OF  NAUYOO  TILL  1843. 

Rapid  growth  of  Nauvoo — Apparent  prosperity — “  The  vultures  gather 
to  the  carcass” — Crime,  polygamy  and  politics — Subserviency  of 
the  Politicians — Nauvoo  Charters — A  government  within  a  govern¬ 
ment— Joe  Smith  twice  arrested — Released  by  S.  A.  Douglas — Sec¬ 
ond  time  by  Municipal  Court  of  Nauvoo — McKinney’s  account — 
Petty  thieving — Gentiles  driven  out  of  Nauvoo — “  Whittling  Dea¬ 
cons” — “Danites” — Anti-Mormons  organize  a  Political  Party — 
Treachery  of  Davis  and  Owens — Defeat  of  Anti-Mormons — Cam¬ 
paign  of  1843  — Cyrus  Walker,  a  great  Criminal  Lawyer — “Revela¬ 
tion”  on  voting  —  The  Prophet  cheats  the  lawyer — Astounding 
perfidy  of  the  Mormon  leaders — Great  increase  of  popular  hatred — 

Just  anger  against  the  Saints .  58 


11 


12 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  III. 

MORMON  DIFFICULTIES  AND  DEATH  OF  THE  PROPHET. 

Ford’s  account — Double  treachery  in  the  Quincy  district — New  and 
startling  developments  in  Nauvoo— Tyranny  of  Joe  Smith— Revolt 
of  a  portion  of  his  followers— The  “  Expositor  ”— It  is  declared  “  a 
nuisance”  and  “  abated  ’’—Flight  of  apostates— Warrants  issued 
for  Smith  and  other  Mormons— Constables  driven  out  of  Nauvoo— 
Militia  called  for— Nauvoo  fortified— Mormon  war  imminent— Gov- 
enor  Ford  takes  the  field  in  person— Flight  of  the  Prophet  and 
Patriarch  to  Iowa— Their  return  and  arrest— The  Governor  pledged 
for  their  safety— In  his  absence  the  jail  is  attacked — Death  of  the 
Smiths— Character  of  the  Prophet — Comments .  89 

CHAPTER  IV. 

TWO  YEARS  OF  STRIFE - EXODUS  FROM  ILLINOIS. 

No  successor  to  the  Prophet— David  Hyrum  Smith,  the  “Son  of 
Promise” — Contest  for  the  leadership — Diplomacy  of  Brigham 
Young — Curious  trials — All  of  Brigham’s  opponents  “  cut  olf” — 
Troubles  renewed — Fights,  outrages,  robberies  and  murder — An¬ 
other  election  and  more  treachery — Singular  “  Wolf  Hunt  ” — Cap¬ 
ture  and  trial  of  Smith’s  murderers — Of  the  Mormon  rioters — Fail¬ 
ure  and  defects  of  the  law — Further  outrages  on  Gentiles — Trouble  in 
Adams  County — The  “  Oneness  ” — The  people  of  Adams  drive  out 
the  Mormons — Revenge  by  the  Mormons — Murders  of  McBratney, 
Worrell,  Wilcox  and  Daubeneyer — Retaliation,  and  murder  of 
Durfee — The  Mormons  ravage  Hancock — Flight  of  the  Gentiles — 
Militia  called  and  Hancock  put  under  martial  law — The  Mormons 
begin  to  leave  Illinois — Fresh  quarrels — More  Mormon  treachery 
— Bombardment  of  Nauvoo,  and  final  expulsion  of  the  Mormons. ...  122 

CHAPTER  V. 

FROM  THE  NAUYOO  EXODUS  TO  THE  MORMON  WAR  IN  UTAH. 

The  Via  Dolorosa  of  Mormon  History — Through  Iowa — Great  suffer¬ 
ing— “  Stakes  of  Zion  ” — Settlement  in  Nebraska — “Mormon  Bat- 
tallion” — Journey  to  Utah— Founding  of  Salt  Lake  City — Early 
accounts— Outrages  upon  California  emigrants— Travelers  murdered 
—Apostates  “missing  ’’—Dangers  of  rivalry  in  love  with  a  Mormon 


CONTENTS. 


13 


Bishop  —  Usurpations  of  Mormon  Courts  and  officers  —  Federal 
Judges  driven  out — Murders  of  Babbitt  and  Williams — Flight  of 
Judges  Stiles  and  Drummond — The  Army  set  in  motion  for  Utah — 
New  officers  appointed — Suspicious  delay  of  the  Army — The  “  Mor¬ 
mon  War”  begun . . . .  155 


CHAPTER  VI. 

THE  BLOODY  PERIOD.  . 

Sounds  of  war  in  Utah — Popular  excitement — Fears  of  the  disaffected 
• — Attempted  flight — Murder  of  the  Potter  and  Parrish  families — 
Massacre  of  the  Aiken  party — Assassination  of  Yates — Killing  of 
Forbes — Brigham  “Turns  loose  the  Indians” — Mountain  Meadow 
Massacke — Horrible  barbarity  of  Indians  and  Mormons — Evidence 
in  the  case — Attempt  of  Judge  Crablebaugh — Progress  of  the  “Mor¬ 
mon  War” — Delay  of  the  army — Treachery  or  inefficiency  ? — Mor¬ 
mon  Legion — Lieutenant-General  Wells — Brigham  “  Commands  ” 
the  National  troops  to  withdraw — Army  trains  destroyed — Lot 
Smith,  the  Mormon  Guerilla — The  “Army  of  Utah”  in  Winter 
Quarters — Colonel  Kane  again — Negotiations  with  Brigham — Gov¬ 
ernor  Cumming  “passed”  through  the  Mormon  lines — “Peace 
Commissioners” — Mormon  exodus — Weakness  of  Cumming — End 
of  the  War — Murders  of  Pike,  the  Jones’s,  Bernard,  Drown,  Arnold, 
McNeil  and  others — A  change  at  last . .  177 

CHAPTER  VII. 

GENTILES  IN  UTAH.  . 

A  New  Element — Livingston  and  Kinkead — “  Jack-Mormonism  at 
Washington” — Judge  Drummond— M.  Jules  Remy — Gilbert  and 
Sons — Heavy  trade — Later  Gentile  Merchants — Walker  Brothers — 
Sales  at  Camp  Floyd — “  Crushing  the  Mormons  ” — Ransohoff  &  Co. 

— Mormon  outrages  again — Murders  of  Brassfield  and  Dr.  Robinson — 
Whipping  of  Weston — Evidence  in  case  of  Dr.  Robinson — Outrages 
on  Lieutenant  Brown  and  Dr.  Williamson — Gentiles  driven  from 
the  Public  Land — Territorial  Surveyor — Success  of  General  Connor’s 
Administration — The  Government  returns  to  the  old  policy — Mur¬ 
ders  of  Potter  and  Wilson — Horrible  death  of  “  Negro  Tom  ” — The 
last  witness  “put  out  of  the  way” — “Danites”  again — Murder 
each  other — Death  of  Hatch — Flight  of  Hickman — Forty-three  mur¬ 
ders —  Another  change  of  officials  —  Doty  —  Durkee  —  Shameful 
neglect  by  the  Government — Flight  of  the  Gentiles — Comparative 
quiet  again — A  better  day — The  author  arrives  in  Utah .  19G 


14 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

FIRST  VIEWS  IN  UTAH. 

The  real  “  American  Desert” — No  Myth — Bitter  Creek — Green  River 
— Lone  Rock — Plains  of  Bridger — Quaking  Asp  Ridge — Bear  River 
— A  Mormon  autobiography — “Pulling  hair” — “Aristocracy”  on 
the  Plains — “Mule  Skinners”  and  “ Bullwackers ” — The  Bull- 
wackers  Epic” — Cache  Cave — Echo  Canon — Mormon  “fortifica¬ 
tions” — Braggadocio — Storm  in  Weber  Canon — Up  the  Weber — • 
Parley’s  Park — A  wife-stealing  Apostle — Down  the  Canon — Majestic 
scenery — First  view  of  the  valley — The  “  City  of  the  Saints.”.. . .  217 

CHAPTER  IX. 

TWO  WEEKS  IN  SALT  LAKE  CITY. 

Views  of  the  City — Temple  Block — Brigham’s  Block — Theatre — Im¬ 
migrants — Mormon  arguments — Reasons  for  polygamy — “Book  of 
Mormon”  —  First  Mormon  sermon — “Old”  Joe  Young — His 
beauty  (?) — His  sermon — Mormon  style  of  preaching — Order  of 
services — First  impressions  rather  favorable — Much  to  learn  yet ^>39 

CHAPTER  X. 

TRIP  TO  BEAR  RIVER  AND  RETURN. 

Northward  afoot— Hot  Springs— “  Sessions  Settlement ’’—Polygamy 
again— “Eplie  Roberts’  young  wife ’’—Farmington— Kaysville— 
Three  wives,  and  stone  walls  between— “  Let  us  have  Peace  ’’—Red 
Sand  Ridge— Ogden— Brigham  City— Into  the  poor  district— Scan¬ 
dinavian  Porridge— English  cookery— Rural  life  in  Utah— Bear 
River,  North— Cache  Valley  and  the  Canon— “  Professor  ”  Barker, 
the  “Mad  Philosopher ”— A  New  Cosmogony— Mormon  science— 
“Celestial  Masonry  ’’—“Adam  ”  redivivus— A  modern  “Eve”— 
Folly  and  fanaticism— Mineral  Springs— The  country  m.  th.e  city 
Mormon . 


CHAPTER  XI. 

THE  CONFERENCE  AND  ITS  RESULTS. 

A  Moimon  mass-meeting  Faces  and  features — Great  enthusiasm _ A 

living  “  martyr  ” — A  Mormon  hymn— The  poetess— A  “  president  ” 


CONTENTS. 


15 


chosen — He  recites  the  Church  history — First  view  of  Brigham — 

He  curses  the  Gentiles — A  “  nasty  sermon  ” — Coarseness  and  pro¬ 
fanity — Bitterness  of  other  speakers — Swearing  in  the  pulpit — Excit¬ 
ing  the  people — Their  frenzy  and  fanaticism — Hatred  against  the 
United  States — Foolish  bravado — The  author  gains  new  light  on 
Mormonism — A  subject  to  be  studied — English  and  European  Sects 
of  like  character — Division  of  the  subject . . .  278 

CHAPTER  XII. 

ANALYSIS  OF  MORMON  SOCIETY.  * 

Difficulty  at  the  outset — Extremes  among  witnesses — Prejudice  on 
both  sides — First  impressions  favorable — “Whited  Sepulchres” — 
Classes  of  Mormons — Brigham  Young  ;  impostor  or  fanatic  ? — The 
dishonest  class  —  The  “earnest  Mormons”  —  Disloyalty — Church 
and  State — Killing  men  to  save  their  souls — Slavery  of  women — 
Brigham  the  government — Prophecy  against  the  United  States — 

“  War  ” — “  Seven  women  to  take  hold  of  one  man  ” — Another  war 
expected — Blood  and  thunder  in  store  for  the  Gentiles — “  The  great 
tribulation”  about  due — Popular  errors — Witchcraft — “Faith-doc¬ 
toring” — Zion,  in  Jackson  County,  Missouri — Comfortable  prospect.  290 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

ANALYSIS  OF  MORMON  THEOLOGY. 

Its  origin — A  theologic  conglomerate — Mythology,  Paganism,  Mo¬ 
hammedanism,  corrupt  Christianity  and  Philosophy  run  mad — 
“First  principles  of  the  Gospel” — The  five  points  of  variance — 
Materialism — No  spirit — A  god  with  “body,  parts  and  passions” — 
Matter  eternal — No  “creation” — Intelligent  atoms — Preexistent 
souls — High  times  in  the  Spirit  Worlds — Birth  of  Spirits — They  hunt 
for  “  Earthly  Tabernacles” — The  “  Second  Estate  ” — Apotheosis — 

The  “  Third  Estate  ” — “  Fourth  Estate  ” — Men  become  gods — “  Di¬ 
vine  generation” — Earthly  Families  and  Heavenly  Kingdoms — Did 
Man  come  from  the  Sun  ? — “  Building  up  the  Kingdom  ” — One  day 
as  a  thousand  years — The  time  of  the  Gentiles  about  out — Great 
events  at  hand — “Gog  and  Magog,”  et.  al. — Gentiles,  prepare  to 
make  tracks — Return  to  “Zion,”  in  Missouri — Christ’s  earthly  empire 
— Great  destiny  for  Missouri — Tenets  from  Christianity — Baptism  a 
“Saving  Ordinance” — Baptized  twelve  times — Office  of  the  Holy 
Ghost — Strange  fanaticism — Eclectic  Theology — A  personal  god — 

The  homoousian  and  the  Tiomoiousian — The  Logos  and  the  Aeon — 
Grossness  and  Vulgarity .  311 


16 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

THEORETICAL  POLYGAMY — ITS  HISTORY. 

Poetry  of  religious  concubinage — Fanaticism  and  Sensualism— Two 
extremes — Origin  of  Polygamy — The  great  revelation — Its  contra¬ 
dictions  and  absurdities — Mormon  argument — Real  origin — Begin¬ 
ning  of  Polygamy — A  prostitute  for  religion’s  sake — Failures  and 
scandals — War  in  the  Church — Stealing  a  Brother’s  wife — Furore  in 

A 

consequence — The  Expositor — Its  destruction — Death  of  the  Smiths 
— Polygamy  practiced  secretly  and  denied  openly — Brigham’s  mar¬ 
riages — Nine  years  of  concealment — Avowal  at  last — Argument  in 
its  favor — Demoralization  in  the  English  Church — A  climax  of  un¬ 
natural  obscenity  —  The  “  Reformation  ”  —  Temporary  decline  in 
Polygamy — Hostility  of  native  Mormon  girls — Outside  influence — 
Difference  of  opinion — It  dies  hard — Spiritual  wives — Mystery  and 
abomination . . 

CHAPTER  XV. 

PRACTICAL  POLYGAMY. 

Open  evils  and  hidden  sufferings — Miss  S.  E.  Carmichael’s  testimony 
— Mormon  sophistry — The  sexual  principle — Its  objects — Theory 
and  facts — Monogamist  vs.  Polygamist — Turk,  Persian  and  African 
vs.  the  Christian  White — The  same  effects  in  Utah — Jealousy  and 
misery  —  Children  of  different  wives  —  Cultivated  indifference — 
Hatred  among  children — Brigham’s  idea  of  parental  duty — Are  the 
Mormon  women  happy  ?— Submission  and  silence— Degradation  of 
women— Mormon  idea  of  politeness— Heber  C.  Kimball  and  his 
“  cows  “  My  women  ’’—Slavery  of  sex— Moses  and  Mohammed 

outdone  — Incest  — Marrying  a  whole  family— Robert  Sharkey— 
Remorse  and  suicide— Uncle  and  niece— Bishop  Smith  and  his  nieces 
—Mixture  of  blood— Horrible  crimes— Half-brother  and  sister— The 
Prophet  “sold”— The  doctrine  of  incest— “  Too  strong  now,  but 
the  people  will  come  to  it” — Now  openly  avowed — Brothers  and 
sisters  to  marry  for  a  “pure  priesthood ’’—Testimony  of  William 
Hep  worth  Dixon— Father  and  daughter  may  marry — Effects  upon 
the  young  —  Infant  mortality—  Large  average-mortality  —  Fatal 
blindness  — The  growing  youth  —  Demoralization  —  Youthful  de¬ 
pravity — No  hope  for  young  men  and  women— Sophistry  and  mad¬ 
ness— Ancient  sensualism  to  be  revived . 


CONTENTS. 


17 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

/ 

THE  MORMON  THEOCRACY. 

Absolutism — An  ancient  model — Three  governments  in  Utah — Church 
officials — First  President — First  Presidency — “  The  worst  man  in 
Utah  ” — Quorum  of  Apostles — “  The  Twelve  ” — A  dozen  men  with 
fifty-two  wives — President  of  Seventies — Patriarch — “A  blessing 
for  a  dollar” — Bishops — Division  of  the  City  and  Territory — Their 
magisterial  capacity  High  Council — Judge  and  jury — Ward  teachers 
— The  confessional — The  priesthood — Aaronic  and  Melchisedec — 
Evangelists — Secret  police  or  “Danites” — Civil  government  only 
an  appendage — Excessive  power  of  the  Mormon  Courts — Perver¬ 
sions  of  law  and  justice — Organic  Act  defective — Federal  Judges — 
Their  weakness  and  disgrace— Verdict  by  ecclesiastical  “  counsel  ” — 
Verdicts  dictated  from  the  pulpit — Probate  Judges  really  appointed 
by  Brigham  Young — Voting  system— Marked  ballots — “Protecting 
the  ballot” — The  Hooper-McGroarty  race — Plurality  of  offices  as 
well  as  wives — Tyranny  of  the  Church — The  Mormon  vs.  the  Ameri¬ 
can  idea— The  evils  of  which  Gentiles  complain . 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

RECUSANT  SECTS  OF  MORMONS. 

Repression  not  unity — Great  break-up  at  Nauvoo — Sidney  Rigdon’s 
Church — J.  J.  Strang — Cutler,  Brewster  and  Heddrick :  “  The 
Gatherers” — The  “  Truth  Teller” — Lyman  Wight  in  Texas — San 
Bernardino  Mormons — Apostasy,  Spiritualism  and  insanity — Brig¬ 
ham  supreme  in  Utah — First  secession,  the  “  Gladdenites  ” — Perse¬ 
cution  and  murders — Blood-atonement  introduced — Second  seces¬ 
sion,  the  “Morrisites” — War  with  the  sect — Massacre  of ‘  the 
Morrisites  ” — Governor  Harding’s  adventure — General  Connor 
protects  the  recusants  —  Soda  Springs  —  Another  Prophet  —  The 
“infant  Christ” — Beginning  of  the  Josephites  Emma  and  her 
sons — The  “  Reorganized  Church  ” — First  Mission — Mission  of  the 
“Smith  Boys” — Excitement  at  Salt  Lake — Priestly  lying — The 
God-be  schism — Liberal  principles — Hopeful  indications — After 
Brigham,  who? — Orson  Hyde? — Daniel  H.  Wells? — George  A. 

Smith  ? — Probable  future  of  the  Church . 

2 


381 


402 


18 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

GEOGRAPHICAL  FEATURES. 

Territorial  limits— “  Basins”— “  Sinks”— “Flats”— Rain  and  evapora¬ 
tion — Elemental  action  and  reaction^-Potamology — Jordan — Kay’s 
Creek — Weber — Bear  River  Cache  Valley  Timber — Bine  Creek 
— Promontory  —  Great  Desert  —  Utah  Lake  —  Spanish  Fork  —  Salt 
Creek  —  Timpanogos  —  Sevi  er  River  —  Colorado  System  —  Fish — 
Thermal  and  Chemical  Springs — Healing  waters — Plotwater  plants 
— Analysis  by  Dr.  Gale — Mineral  Springs — Salt  beds — Alkali  flats 
— Native  salts — Great  Salt  Lake — First  accounts — Fremont — 
Stansbury — Amount  of  salt — Valleys — Rise  of  the  Lake — Islands 
— Bear  Lake — “  Ginasticutis  ” — Utah  Lake — Climate — Increase  of 
rain — Singular  phenomena — Fine  air — Relief  for  pulmonary  com¬ 
plaints .  435 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

MATERIAL  RESOURCES  OF  UTAH. 

Amount  of  arable  land — Its  nature  and  location — Increased  rainfall — 
Causes — Probable  greater  increase — Mode  of  irrigation — Aquarian 
Socialism — No  room  for  competition — Alkali — Some  advantages — 
Yield  of  various  crops — “Beet-sugar” — Sorghum  syrup— Mormon 
improvements  (?  ) — Grossly  exaggerated — True  Wealth  of  Utah — • 
Mining  and  grazing — Buncli-grass — Mountain  pastures — Sheep  and 
goats — “Fur,  fin  and  feather” — Trapping  and  hunting — Carnivora 
— Ruminants — Buffalo— None  in  the  Basin — Shoshonee  tradition — 
Game,  fowl — Amphibia — “  Sandy  toad  ” —  Serpents — Fish— Oysters 
in  Salt  Lake — Insects — “Mormon  bedbugs” — Advantages  from  the 
dry  air — Insectivora — Crickets — Grasshoppers  or  locusts  ? — Indians 
of  Utah — Rapid  extinction — “Diggers”  —  “Club-men” — Utes — 
Slioslionees  — Their  origin— Mormon  theory — Scientific  theory — 
Chinese  annals — Tartans  in  America — Mormon  settlers — Twenty- 
three  years  of  “gathering” — Much  work,  slow  progress — Reasons 
Inherent  weakness  of  the  system — Great  apostasy — Their  present 
number  Exaggeration — Enumeration  of  settlements  and  population 
'  Nationality — Total  military  force — Future  of  the  Territory . .  460 


CONTENTS. 


19 


CHAPTER  XX. 

MORMON  MYSTERIES - THEIR  ORIGIN. 

The  Endowment — Actors — Scenery  and  dress — Pre-requisites — Adam 
and  Eve,  the  Devil  and  Michael,  Jehovah  and  Eloheim — A  new 
version — Blasphemous  assumptions — Terrible  oaths— Barbarous 
penalties — Origin  — Scriptures  and  Paradise  Lost — Eleusinian  mys¬ 
teries  — “  Morgan’s  Free-masonry  ” — The  witnesses— Probabilities 
— Their  reasons —  Changes .  486 

CHAPTER  XXL 

PRESENT  CONDITION  AND  PROSPECTS. 

Co-operation — The  “bull’s  eye”  signs — Inherent  weakness  of  the 
system — Immediate  effects  on  the  Gentiles— Final  result  to  the 
Saints — Founding  of  Corinne — Its  bright  prospects — Trip  to  Sevier 
— The  deserted  city — New  Silverado — Mines  and  mining — A  new 
interest  in  Utah— Rich  discoveries — Hindrances — Grant’s  Admin¬ 
istration  in  Utah — Better  men  in  the  Revenue  Department — 
Experience  of  Dr.  J.  P.  Taggart — More  “persecution” — The 
Judges — The  Governor — Congressional  Legislation — “  Cullom 
Bill” — Probable  effects — Guesses  at  the  future — Another  exodus 
— “Zion,”  in  Sonora .  503 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

REDEEMING  AGENCIES. 

The  Church — First  attempt — Rev.  Norman  McLeod — Dr.  J.  K.  Rob¬ 
inson — Second  attempt,  Father  Kelley — Last  attempt — The  Epis¬ 
copal  Mission,  success  and  progress — Sabbath  School— Grammar 
School  of  St.  Marks— A  building  needed — Mission  of  Rev.  George 
W.  Foote — Difficulties  of  the  situation — Number  and  occupation  of 
Gentiles — Political  prospects — Gentile  newspapers— The  Valley  Tan 
— The  Vedette — The  Utah  Reporter — S.  S.  Saul,  the  founder — 
Messrs.  Aulbach  and  Barrett — The  author’s  experience — Principles 
advocated — Courtesy  of  the  Gentiles — Conclusion . .  527 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 


1.  Portrait  of  Brigham  Young .  Frontispiece. 

2.  Portrait  of  Joseph  Smith . 

3.  Portrait  of  Heber  C.  Kimball . 

4.  Portrait  of  Hyrum  Smith . 

5.  Portrait  of  Orson  Pratt . . . 

6.  Portrait  of  Orson  Hyde . 

7.  Portrait  of  John  Taylor . 

8.  Mormon  Temple  being  built  in  Salt  Lake  City .  “ 

9.  One  of  the  six  Bronze  Plates  found  in  the  State  of  Illinois,  in 

1843  ;  said  by  old  Mormons  to  closely  resemble  the 


original  Plates  of  the  “Book  of  Mormon.” .  25 

10.  Fac-simile,  according  to  Joe  Smith,  of  the  writing  on  the 

Original  Plates  of  the  “  Book  of  Mormon.” .  30 

11.  Flight  of  the  Mormons  from  Jackson  Count}',  Missouri .  40 

12.  Tarring  and  Feathering  Joe  Smith .  57 

13.  “  Lieuh-Gen.”  Joseph  Smith  Reviewing  the  Nauvoo  Legion.  77 

14.  Mormon  Temple  at  Nauvoo,  Illinois .  81 

15.  Death  of  Joseph  Smith .  113 

16.  Mormons  driven  out  of  Nauvoo,  crossing  the  Mississippi  on 

the  ice . .  144 

17.  Brigham  Young  Preaching  in  the  Wilderness .  154 

18.  Mormon  Camp  at  Council  Bluff,  Iowa .  157 

19.  View  of  Salt  Lake  City  in  1850— From  the  Northwest .  165 

20.  Mormon  Tabernacle  Camp  on  their  arrival  in  Utah .  176 

21.  California  Emigrants  Attacked  at  the  Humboldt  Canon,  Utah  172 

22.  Mountain  Meadow  Massacre — 132  Emigrants  killed  by  Mor¬ 

mons  and  Indians .  183 

23.  Ceremony  of  Confirmation . 202 

24.  Scene  in  Echo  Canon .  228 

25.  Four  Wives .  .  234 

26.  Mormon  Tabernacle— Endowment  House  in  the  Distance. . .  242 

27.  Mormon  Missionary  Preaching  to  the  Lower  Classes  in 

London — Proselyting . . 248 

28.  Hot  Springs  near  Salt  Lake  City .  259 

29.  Scene  on  the  upper  part  of  Bear  River,  Utah .  260 

30.  “Let  us  have  Peace.” .  266 

31.  Mormon  Baptism . . .  319 

32.  Massacre  of  the  Morrisites .  419 

33.  Mormon  women  and  children  taking  refuge  at  a  U.  S.  Camp.  426 

34.  Mirage  seen  on  the  Promontory  North  of'Great  Salt  Lake...  442 

35.  Mormon  “Improvements” — a  Willow  Corral .  467 

36.  Mormon  Alphabet.  Invented  by  O.  Pratt  and  W.  Phelps  to 

be  used  in  Mormon  Literature .  470 

37.  Scenes  in  the  Endowment  Ceremonies . 486 

20 


LIFE  m  UTAH ; 

OR,  THE 

MYSTERIES  AND  CRIMES  OF  I0RM0NISM 


CHAPTER  I. 

HISTORICAL. 

•% 

Birth  and  early  life  of  the  Mormon  Prophet — The  original  Smith  family— 
Opinion  of  Brigham  Young — The  “peep-stone” — “Calling”  of  Joe 
Smith — The  Golden  Plates— “  Reformed  Egyptian”  translated — “  Book 
of  Mormon”  published — Synopsis 'of  its  contents — Real  author  of  the 
work — “  The  glorious  six”  first  converts — Emma  Smith,  “Elect  Lady 
and  Daughter  of  God” — Sidney  Rigdon  takes  the  field — First  Hegira — 
“Zion”  in  Missouri — Kirtland  Bank — Swindling  and, u  persecution” — 
War  in  Jackson  County — Smith  “marches  on  Missouri” — Failure  of 
the- “Lord’s  Bank ’’—Flight  of  the  Prophet — “Mormon  War” — Cap¬ 
ture  of  Smith— Flight  into  Illinois. 

Joseph  Smith,  the  founder  of  Mormonism,  was  born 
December  23d,  1805,  at  Sharon,  Windsor  county,  Ver¬ 
mont.  His  parents,  Joseph  Smith,  Sen.,  and  Lucy 
Mack  Smith,  belonged  to  the  lowest  grade  of  society, 
and,  by  the  testimony  of  all  their  neighbors,  were  illit¬ 
erate  and  superstitious,  as  well  as  indolent  and  unre¬ 
liable.  They  could  believe  in  the  supernatural  as 
easily  as  the  natural ;  for  they  were  as  ignorant  of  the 
one  as  the  other.  These  qualities  seemed  to  descend 

upon  the  son  by  “  ordinary  generation f  but  at  an 

21 


22  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR  THE  MYSTERIES 

early  age  he  showed  that  he  far  excelled  all  the  rest 
of  the  family  in  a  peculiar  low  cunning,  and  a  certain 
faculty  of  invention,  which  enabled  him  to  have  a 
story  ready  for  any  emergency. 

In  the  year  1815,  the  Smith  family  removed  to  New 
York,  and  settled  near  Palmyra,  Wayne  county,  w^here 
they  resided  ten  years.  Here  young  J oseph  developed 
a  remarkable  talent  for  living  without  work,  and  at  an 
early  age  adopted  the  profession  of  “  Water  Witch,” 
in  which  calling  he  wandered  about  the  adjoining 
country  with  a  forked  stick,  or  hazel  rod,  by  the  de¬ 
flections  of  which,  when  held  in  a  peculiar  manner, 
he  claimed  to  determine  the  spot  where  a  vein  of  water 
lay  nearest  the  surface.  This  had  been  a  part  of  his 
father’s  business;  but  Joe  was  possessed  of  real  genius, 
though  of  a  peculiar  kind,  and  soon  struck  into  higher 
paths.  He  began  to  “  divine”  the  locality  of  things 
which  had  been  stolen,  by  means  of  a  “  peep-stone” 
placed  in  his  hat,  and  by  the  same  means  to  point  out 
where  hidden  treasures  lay.  Almost  innumerable  are 
the  stories  of  his  youth,  giving  bright  promise  of  future 
rascality.  But  many  of  them  depend  on  little  more 
than  popular  report,  and  we  can  only  receive  as  au¬ 
thentic  those  events  which  rest  upon  the  sworn  testi¬ 
mony  of  reliable  men  who  were  his  neighbors.  After 
ten  years’  residence  in  Wayne,  the  family  moved  to 
the  adjoining  county  of  Ontario,  and  settled  near  the 
town  of  Manchester.  Here,  from  pointing  out  the 
place  for  wells,  Joe  wrent  to  work  digging  them.  While 
in  this  work  for  Mr.  Willard  Chase,  a  peculiar,  round, 
white  stone  was  found  by  him  and  the  other  workmen, 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM 


23 


which  Joe  took  possession  of  and  carried  away,  much 
to  the  regret  of  Mr.  Chase’s  children,  to  whom  it  had 
been  given  as  a  curious  plaything.  This  was  after¬ 
wards  the  noted  “  peep-stone,”  in  which  J oe  saw  such 
wonders.  Many  of  these  statements  are  not  very  stren¬ 
uously  denied  by  the  best-informed  Mormons.  They 
acknowledge,  generally,  that  Joe  Smith  was  of  humble 
parentage,  very  poor  and  illiterate,  and  that  he  was  for 
many  years  a  “  wild  boy.”  Brigham  Young  is  espe¬ 
cially  frank  upon  the  subject,  adding,  in  conclusion : 

“  That  the  Prophet  was  of  mean  birth,  that  he  was 
wild,  intemperate,  even  dishonest  and  tricky  in  his 
youth,  is  nothing  against  his  mission.  God  can,  and 
does,  make  use  of  the  vilest  instruments.  Joseph  has 
brought  forth  a  religion  which  will  save  us  if  we  abide 
by  it.  Bring  anything  against  that  if  you  can.  I 
care  not  if  he  gamble,  lie,  swear,  and  run  horses  every 
day,  for  I  embrace  no  man  in  my  faith.  The  religion 
is  all  in  all.” 

<-/ 

Brigham  is  correct ;  the  early  character  of  the  Pro¬ 
phet  has  little  to  do  ,  with  the  religion,  except  as  * 
determining  the  character  and  credibility  of  his  evi¬ 
dence.  Let  us  then  examine  briefly  the  origin  of  this 
new  theology,  present  the  main  testimony;  and,  as 
impartial  judges,  hear  the  Prophet’s  account  first. 
Many  years  after,  when  Mormonism  was  an  established 
fact,  Joseph  gave  the  following  account :  At  the  early 
a<re  of  fifteen  he  became  much  concerned  about  the 
salvation  of  his  soul,  and  at  the  same  time  a  powerful 
revival  of  religion  spread  throughout  Western  New 
York.  Joseph  professed  to  be  converted  and  his  mo- 


24  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

ther,  sister  Sophronia  and  his  brothers,  Samuel  and 
Hyrum  (so  spelled  by  his  father)  joined  the  church. 
But  when  the  revival  ceased,  a  “  great  rush  ”  took 
place  among  the  ministers  of  various  denominations  as 
to  who  should  secure  most  of  the  new  converts; 
Joseph’s  soul  was  vexed,  and  he  began  to  have  serious 
doubts.  In  this  frame  of  mind  he  opened  the  Bible, 
and  his  eye  fell  upon  this  text :  “  If  any  of  you  lack 
wisdom,  let  him  ask  of  God,  that  giveth  to  all  men 
liberally,  and  upbraideth  not” — James,  Chap.  I.  v.  5. 
He,  therefore,  retired  to  a  secluded  thicket  near  his  fa¬ 
ther’s  house,  and  knelt  in  prayer,  supplicating  the 
Lord  to  know  “  which  of  all  the  sects  was  really  right.” 
While  praying,  the  entire  wood  was  illuminated  with  a 
great  light,  he  was  enveloped  in  the  midst  of  it  and 
caught  away  in  a  heavenly  vision,  he  saw  two  glorious 
personages  and  was  told  that  his  sins  were  forgiven. 
He  learned  also  that  none  of  the  sects  was  quite  right, 
but  that  God  had  chosen  him  to  restore  the  true  priest¬ 
hood  upon  earth.  Afterwards,  he  began  again  to  doubt, 
’  and,  being  quite  young,  fell  into  sin,  and  it  was  not 
until  September  23d,  1823,  that  God  again  heard  his 
prayers,  and  sent  heavenly  messengers  to  tell  him  his 
sins  were  forgiven.  An  angel  visited  him  from  time 
to  time  afterwards,  instructing  him  in  his  duties,  and 
finally  informed  him  that  in  “  the  hill  Cumorah,”  not 
far  frony  Manchester,  certain  Golden  Plates  were  buried, 
containing  an  account  of  the  settlement  of  America,  be¬ 
fore  Christ.  After  several  preliminary  visits,  on  the 
22d  of  September,  1826,  the  Golden  Plates  were  taken 
up  from  the  hill  Cumorah  “  with  a  mighty  display  of 


. 

i  ii-  '  •  -•  ....  . 

■ 

.  t 

5 •  -1  ^  •  '{•*>  '  t  .  ■ 

r..^  •  >  ■  ■  •; 

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* 

■ 

.  -  - 

* 

‘ 

/ 

*  . . . 


- 


1 


V 


One  of  the  six  Bronze  Plates  found  in  the  State  of  Illinois,  in  1843;  said  by  old  Mormons 
to  closely  resemble  the  original  Plates  of  the  “Book  of  Mormon 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


25 


celestial  machinery,”  and  delivered  by  the  angel  to  Jo¬ 
seph.  His  vision  being  cleared,  at  the  same  time,  he  saw 
a  great  concourse  of  devils  struggling  with  angels  to 
prevent  the  work.  The  plates  were  “  of  the  thick¬ 
ness  of  tin,  hound  together  like  a  book,  fastened  at  one 
side  by  three  rings  which  run  through  the  whole,  form¬ 
ing  a  volume  about  six  inches  thick.”  The  record  was 
engraved  on  the  plates  in  “  reformed  Egyptian  ”  charac¬ 
ters,  consisting  of  “  the  language  of  the  Jews  and  the 
writing  of  the  Egyptians.”  In  the  same  box  with  the 
plates,  were  found  two  stones,  “  transparent  and  clear  as 
crystal,  the  Urim  and  Thummim  used  by  seers  in  an¬ 
cient  times,  the  instrmnents  of  revelations  of  things  dis¬ 
tant,  past  and  future.”  When  the  news  of  this  discov¬ 
ery  spread  abroad,  “  the  Prophet  was  the  sport  of  lies, 
slanders  and  mobs,  and  vain  attempts  to  rob  him  of  his 
plates.”  He  was  ere  long  supplied  with  witnesses.  Oli¬ 
ver  Cowdery,  David  Whitmer,  and  Martin  Harris  make 
the  following  solemn  certificate  : 

“  We  have  seen  the  plates  which  contain  the  records 
they  were  translated  by  the  gift  and  power  of  God,  for 
His  voice  hath  declared  it  unto  us,  wherefore  we  know 
of  a  surety  that  the  work  is  true  ;  and  we  declare  with 
words  of  soberness  that  an  angel  of  God  came  down  from* 
heaven,  and  brought  and  laid  before  our  eyes,  that  we 
beheld  and  saw  the  plates  and  the  engravings  thereon.” 

The  testimony  of  these  three  is  prefixed  to  all  printed! 
copies  of  the  “  Book  of  Mormon,”  for  such  is  the  name 
now  given  to  the  work.  Oliver  Cowdery  was  at  that 
time  a  sort  of  wandering  schoolmaster,  rather  noted  as 
an  elegant  scribe.  He  assisted  in  translating  the  in- 


26  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

scriptions  on  the  plates,  continued  an  active  Saint  for 
many  years,  and  was  finally  expelled  from  the  Church 
in  Missouri,  “  for  lying,  counterfeiting  and  immorality.” 
He  led  a  rambling  life  for  many  years,  and  died  a  short 
time  since  a  miserable  drunkard. 

Martin  Harris  was  a  credulous  farmer  wrho  lived  near 
the  Smiths.  He  had  imbibed  the  notion,  so  common  in 
the  religious  excitement  of  that  period,  that  “  the  last 
days  were  at  hand,”  and  mortgaged  his  farm  for  three 
thousand  dollars,  to  pay  for  printing  the  first  edition  of 
the  book.  He  continued  with  the  Mormons  till  his 
means  were  exhausted,  and,  having  quarrelled  with  Joe 
Smith,  in  Missouri,  returned  to  his  old  .residence  in  New 
York.  Of  David  Whitmer  little  is  known.  He  dropped 
out  of  the  Mormon  community,  in  one  of  the  66  drives  ” 
in  Missouri,  and  settled  in  that  State.  But  the  Prophet 
had  other  witnesses.  Soon  after,  four  of  the  Smiths, 
three  of  the  Whitmers,  and  another  witness,  eight  in 
all,  testify  as  follows :  “  Joseph  Smith,  the  translator, 
has  shown  us  the  plates  of  which  hath  been  spoken, 
which  had  the  appearance  of  gold  ;  and  as  many  of  the 
plates  as  the  said  Smith  had  translated,  we  did  handle 
with  our  hands  and  also  saw  the  engravings  thereon,  all 
of  which  had  the  appearance  of  ancient  work  and  cu¬ 
rious  workmanship.” 

According  to  Smith’s  account,  he  first  met  Oliver 
Cowdery,  April  16th,  1829,  and  after  convincing  him  of 
his  divine  mission,  on  the  15th  of  May  following,  John* 
the  Baptist  appeared,  and  ordained  them  both  into  the 
Aaronic  Priesthood,  after  which  they  baptized  each 
‘Other .  In  J uly  following,  the  Golden  Plates  were  shown 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


27 


the  “  three  witnesses,”  and  in  that  year  the  translation 
was  completed.  It  was  begun  some  time  before,  but 
suspended  in  July,  1828,  from  the  singular  circumstance 
that  the  wife  of  Martin  Harris  had  stolen  a  hundred  and 
eighteen  pages  of  the  manuscript.  As  afterwards  ap¬ 
peared,  the  translators  thought  she  intended  to  wait 
until  they  had  supplied  the  stolen  part,  then  reproduce 
the  original,  and  prove  that  they  did  not  literally  cor¬ 
respond.  But  it  seems  they  had  credited  her  with  more 
cunning  than  she  possessed.  She  had  bitterly  op¬ 
posed  her  husband  in  his  venture  upon  the  new 
speculation,  and  had  burned  that  part  of  the  manuscript 
he  brought  home,  hoping  thereby  to  put  a  stop  to  the 
work.  She  afterwards  attempted,  by  legal  proceedings, 
to  prevent  the  disposal  of  his  farm ;  but,  failing  in  that, 
finally  separated  from  him.  The  translation  was  then 
completed,  Oliver  Cowdery  making  most  of  the  final 
copy.  The  66  Book  of  Mormon  ”  was  first  given  to  the 
world  early  in  1830,  when  three  thousand  volumes  were 
published,  under  contract,  by  Mr.  Pomeroy  Tucker,  then 
proprietor  of  a  paper  in  the  county.  He  has,  within  a 
few  years,  given  to  the  world  a  valuable  work  on  the 
“  Origin  and  Progress  of  Mormonism,”  containing  many 
interesting  facts  concerning  the  origin  of  the  sect.  The 
first  proof-sheet  of  the  work  was  given  by  Mr.  Tucker, 
as  a  sort  of  curiosity,  to  his  cousin  Steve  S.  Harding, 
whom  he  styles  “  a  fun-loving  youth  of  that  vicinity.” 
Mr.  Harding  soon  after  removed  to  Indiana,  and,  just 
thirty-two  years  afterwards,  was  appointed  by  President 
Lincoln  Governor  of  Utah,  whither  he  carried  the  proof- 
sheet,  and  presented  it  to  the  Church  Historian. 


28  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

The  “  Book  of  Mormon  ”  was  rapidly  circulated,  and 
attracted  some  comment.  And  at  this  point,  a  brief 
synopsis  of  this  work  is  appropriate.  It  consists  of  a 
number  of  Books,  named  after  their  reputed  authors — 
Book  of  Nephi,.Book  of  Alma,  Esther,  Jared,  etc.  They 
contain  the  following  history  : 

In  the  reign  of  Zedekiah,  six  hundred  years  before 
Christ,  a  Jewish  family,  with  a  few  friends  and  retain¬ 
ers,  left  Jerusalem,  being  warned  of  God  that  a  great 
destruction  and  captivity  were  at  hand,  and  journeyed 
eastward  in  search  of  a  “  land  of  promise.”  After  many 
wanderings,  and  the  death  of  the  Patriarch,  they  reached 
the  sea,  when  Nephi,  who  had  succeeded  his  father  in 
the  Patriarchate  and  Priesthood,  was  directed  by  the 
Lord  to  build  a  boat ;  and,  furnished  with  a  “  double 
ball  and  spindle,”  which  served  the  exact  purpose  of  the 
modern  mariner’s  compass.  They  embarked,  and  in 
due  time  reached  the  continent  of  America.  Subsequent 
revelations  have  decided  that  they  landed  in  Central 
America.  There  they  increased  rapidly ;  but  a  great 
schism  arose,  and  one  Laman,  with  his  followers,  re¬ 
fused  to  obey  the  true  priesthood,  for  which  they  were 
cut  off,  cursed,  and  condemned  “  to  be  a  brutish  and  a 
savage  people,  having  dark  skins,  compelled  to  dig  in 
the  ground  for  roots,  and  hunt  their  meat  in  the  forests 
like  beasts  of  prey.”  But  it  was  foretold  that  a  rem¬ 
nant  of  them  should,  in  time,  u  have  the  curse  removed, 
and  become  a  fair  and  delightsome  people,”  who  should 
cc  blossom  as  the  rose,  under  the  teachings  of  the  Latter- 
day  Saints.”  These  were  the  Lamanites,  the  present 
Indians,  while  the  Christian  party  were  known  as  Ne- 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


29 


phites.  The  latter  spread  over  all  of  North  and  South 
America,  became  rich  and  powerful,  and  built  the  cities 
of  Zarahemla,  Jacobbugath,  Manti,  Gidgiddoni,  and 
scores  of  others,  thus  accounting  for  the  numerous  ruins 
found  on  this  continent.  They  were  ruled  over  suc¬ 
cessively  by  Nephi  the  First,  Second,  and  Third,  by 
Noah,  Alma,  Kish,  Coriantumnr,  and  numerous  other 
kings,  and  were  successively  instructed  by  a  number  of 
prophets.  But  the  Lamanites  increased  likewise,  and 
carried  on  almost  perpetual  war  with  the  Nephites,  till 
a  great  part  of  the  land,  was  desolate.  According  to 
this  history,  there  have  been  no  people  of  the  Old 
World  so  warlike  and  blood-thirsty  as  these ;  and  battles 
in  which  from  twenty  to  fifty  thousand  were  slain  were 
of  common  occurrence.  The  Nephites  were  troubled, 
too,  by  “  false  doctrine,  heresy,  and  schism the  true 
priesthood  was  reviled;  one  man  arose  and  preached 
Universalism,  “  that  God  would  save  all  mankind  at  the 
last  day,”  and  others  followed  strange  goc^s.  An  im¬ 
mense  mass  of  the  nation  turned  back  and  joined  the 
Lamanites,  and  a  band  of  robbers,  under  one  Gadianton, 
desolated  a  large  part  of  the  land.  At  length  prophets 
appeared  and  announced  the  coming  of  Christ,  who, 
after  he  was  crucified  at  Jerusalem,  preached  the  Gospel 
in  America.  At  the  time  of  his  death,  this  country, 
also,  was  shrouded  in  darkness ;  a  mighty  earthquake 
threw  down  the  wicked  city  of  Jacobbugath,  opened 
great  chasms  and  basins  throughout  the  land,  and  the 
whole  face  of  the  country  was  changed.  The  Nephites 
accepted  Christ  at  once ;  but  in  a  few  generations,  fell 
again  into  apostasy,  and  the  Lord  delivered  them  into 


30  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

the  hand  of  their  enemies.  The  mighty  Chieftain 
Omandagus,  whose  rule  was  from  the  Rocky  Mountains 
to  the  Mississippi,  fought  against  the  Nephites,  and  after 
him  many  others.  Little  by  little,  the  Nephites  were 
driven  eastward,  but  made  a  stand  near  the  shores  of 
Lake  Erie,  and  fought  “  till  the  whole  land  was  covered 
with  dead  bodies.”  They  made  their  final  stand  about 
430,  A.  D.,  at  the  hill  Cumorah,  in  Ontario  County, 
New  York,  where  the  Lamanites  came  against  them, 
and  the  battle  raged  till  two  hundred  and  thirty  thou¬ 
sand  Nephites  were  slain ;  the  little  remnant  was  cap¬ 
tured,  and  only  Mormon  and  his  son  Moroni  escaped. 

The  various  kings  and  priests  had  kept  a  record  of 
their  history,  which  Mormon  now  collected  in  one 
volume,  added  a  book  of  his  own>  and  gave  them  to  his 
son.  The  latter  finished  the  record,  and  buried  the 
whole  in  the  hill  Cumorah,  being  assured  of  God  that 
in  fourteen  centuries,  a  great  Prophet  should  restore 
them  to  man.  Such  is  the  book,  and  Joseph’s  account 
of  it.  On  such  testimony  alone  there  is  sufficient  cause 
to  reject  it,  the  book  itself  containing  abundant  internal 
evidence  of  a  fraud. 

Let  us  now  glance  at  the  opposing  account.  In  the 
year  1812,  a  written  work,  called  the  u  Manuscript 
Found,”  was  presented  to  Mr.  Patterson,  a  bookseller  of 
Pittsburg,  Penna.,  by  the  author,  Rev.  Solomon  Spauld¬ 
ing.  This  gentleman  was  born  in  Pennsylvania,  was  a 
graduate  of  Dartmouth  College,  and  for  many  years  a 
Presbyterian  minister ;  he  fell  into  bad  health,  left  the 
ministry,  and  finally  died  of  consumption.  The  66  Man¬ 
uscript  Found  ”  was  written  by  Spaulding  as  a  historical 


Fac-simile,  according  to  Joe  Smith,  of  the  writing  on  the  Original  Plates  of  the  “Book  of  Mormon. 


r tX-/39j]7) 


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AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


31 


romance,  to  account  for  the  settlement  of  America,  and 
lie  proposed  to  Mr.  Patterson  to  publish  it  with  a  pre¬ 
face,  giving  an  imaginary  account  of  its  having  been 
taken  from  plates  dug  up  in  Ohio ;  but  the  latter  did  not 
think  the  enterprise  would  pay.  Sidney  Higdon  was 
then  at  work  in  the  office  of  Mr.  Patterson ;  the  latter 
died  in  1826,  and  what  became  of  that  copy  of  the  man¬ 
uscript  is  not  known.  Mrs.  Spaulding  had  another  com¬ 
plete  copy ;  but  in  the  year  1825,  while  residing  in 
Ontario  Co.,  N.  Y.,  next  door  to  a  man  named  Stroude, 
for  whom  Joe  Smith  was  then  digging  a  well,  that  copy 
also  was  lost.  She  thinks  it  was  stolen  from  her  trunk. 
Thus  far  all  is  clear,  and  there  is  no  particular  discrep¬ 
ancy  between  the  two  accounts ;  but  when  the  “  Book 
of  Mormon  ”  was  published,  the  widow  and  brother  of 
Solomon  Spaulding,  and  several  other  persons  who  had 
heard  him  read  his  work,  forthwith  claimed  that  the 
new  publication  was  nearly  identical  with  the  “  Manu¬ 
script  Found,”  varying  only  in  certain  interpolated 
texts  on  doctrinal  points.  This  claim  was  circulated 
abroad,  and  caused  Sidney  Rigdon  to  write  a  highly 
slanderous  and  abusive  letter  to  the  press  in  regard  to 
Mrs.  Spaulding.  Mormon  historians  say  that  Spaul¬ 
ding’s  book  was  a  mere  idolatrous  romance,  and  that  the 
whole  story  is  the  invention  of  Dr.  Philastus  Hurlbut, 
who  seceded  from  the  saints  in  Ohio,  and  “  persecuted  ” 
Joe  Smith  in  various  ways.  The  widow’s  and  brother’s 
statement  is  supported  by  the  evidence  of  Mr.  Joseph 
Miller,  Sr.,  now  of  Washington  Co.,  Penna.,  wljo  had 
often  heard  Spaulding  read  his  work ;  by  that  of  Mr. 
Redick  McKee,  who  formerly  boarded  with  the  Spaul- 


32  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

ding’s,  and  by  others  who  knew  of  the  work.  Space 
fails  to  set  forth  all  the  evidence  presented  in  support 
of  this  view.  Suffice  it  to  say,  that  while  it  is  of  moral 
force  sufficient  to  convince  most  minds,  it  is  yet  not  such 
proof  as  would  establish  the  fact  beyond  all  doubt,  or 
convict  Smith  and  Rigdon  of  theft  and  forgery  in  a 
court  of  justice.  If  the  proof  were  any  less  strong  than 
it  is,  I  would  decide  against  the  Spaulding  claim,  solely 
from  the  internal  evidence  of  the  book ;  for  the  style  and 
matter  are  such  as  to  raise  a  very  strong  presumption 
that  it  could  not  be  the  work  of  any  man  with  intelli¬ 
gence  enough  for  a  minister,  or  of  a  graduate  from  Dart¬ 
mouth  College.  But  the  true  theory  no  doubt  is,  that 
the  writing  of  Spaulding  was  taken  by  Smith,  Rigdon, 
Cowdery  and  others,  as  the  suggestion  and  idea  of  their 
work ;  but  was  greatly  modified  and  interpolated  by 
them,  leaving  sufficient  characteristics  to  be  recognized 
by  the  Spaulding  witnesses,  who  were  left  solely  to 
their  memory  for  a  comparison  with  the  “  Book  of  Mor¬ 
mon,”  recognizing  what  was  in  it,  and  forgetting  much 
that  was  not  included. 

Of  the  “  three  witnesses  ”  it  is  unnecessary  to  treat ; 
their  subsequent  course  shows  what  weight  is  to  be 
attached  to  their  testimony.  The  best  evidence  further¬ 
more  shows,  that  Sidney  Rigdon  was  the  prime  mover 
in  the  fraud,  and  that  J oe  Smith  was  conveniently  put 
forward  as  the  Prophet. 

The  year  1830  ranks  as  number  one  of  the  Mormon 
era.  Early  in  the  spring,  the  “  Book  of  Mormon  ”  ap¬ 
peared,  and  on  the  memorable  6th  of  April  following, 
the  Mormon  Church  was  organized  near  Manchester. 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


33 


Six  members  were  baptized  and  ordained  elders,  viz.  : 
Joseph  Smith,  Sr.,  Joseph  Smith,  Jr.,  Hyrum  Smith, 
Samuel  Smith,  Oliver  Cowdery,  and  Joseph  Knight, 
all  but  the  last  two  of  the  “  original  Smith  family.” 
The  sacrament  was  forthwith  administered,  and  hands 
laid  on  “for  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost.”  On  the  11th 
of  April,  Oliver  Cowdery  preached  the  first  public  dis¬ 
course  on  the  new  faith,  and  the  same  month  the 
“first  miracle”  was  performed  in  Colesville,  Broome  Co., 
N.  Y.  On  the  first  of  June,  the  Church,  which  had 
meanwhile  gained  a  few  more  Whitmers  and  some 
others,  held  its  “First  Conference”  at  Fayette,  in 
Seneca  Co. ;  and  the  same  month  Joe  Smith  was  twice 
arrested,  “  on  false  charges,”  tried  and  acquitted.  Mean¬ 
while,  on  the  18tli  of  January,  1827,  he  had  married 
Emma  Hale,  daughter  of  Isaac  Hale,  of  South  Bain- 
bridge,  Chenango  Co.,  N.  Y. ;  and,  in  1830,'  she  was, 
by  special  revelation,  pronounced  “  Elect  Lady  and 
Daughter  of  God,”  afterwards  more  learnedly  styled 
Electa  Gyria.  She  became  thoroughly  disgusted  at 
her  husband’s  religion  while  in  Nauvoo,  and  expressed 
no  particular  regret  at  his  death  ;  she  refused  to  emi¬ 
grate  to  Utah,  but  apostatized  and  married  a  Gentile, 
and  is  rather  popular  as  land-lady  of  the  old  Mansion 
House,  at  Nauvoo.  In  August  of  1830*  Parley  P.  Pratt, 
a  young  Campbellite  preacher,  came  on  a  visit  especially 
to  hear  of  the  new  faith,  and  was  at  once  converted, 
and  soon  after,  Sidney  Rigdon  appeared  as  a  leading 
Mormon.  Their  own  history  states  that  he  had  never 
heard  of  Smith  until  this  time.  Soon  after,  Orson 
Pratt  was  baptized,  and  the  new  Church  now  had  valu- 
3 


34  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

able  material  in  its  composition.  The  wild,  poetical 
zeal  of  Parley,  and  the  cool  determination  of  Orson 
Pratt,  the  immense  biblical  knowledge  and  controver¬ 
sial  skill  of  Sidney  Rigdon,  and  the  shrewd  cunning  of 
Joe  Smith,  were  united  in  the  work  of  propagandism, 
and  converts  multiplied'  In  October,  missionaries  were 
sent  to  the  “  Lamanites,”  and  in  December,  Sidney 
Rigdon  visited  Joe  Smith,  and  preached  several  times 
in  the  vicinity.  In  January,  Smith  and  Rigdon  pro¬ 
ceeded  to  the  latter’s  residence,  near  Kirtland,  Ohio, 
preaching  by  the  way.  Rigdon  had  previously  col¬ 
lected  a  band  of  nearly  one  hundred  persons,  who  called 
themselves  Disciples ;  mostly  seceders  from  other  de¬ 
nominations,  holding  to  a  literal  and  rapid  fulfilment 
of  the  prophecies,  very  fanatical  and  looking  daily 
for  66  some  great  event  to  occur.”  Many  of  these 
adopted  the  new  faith  at  once,  and  a  church  of  thirty 
was  organized.  “  By  revelation  ”  of  February  9th, 
the  elders  were  commanded  u  to  go  forth  in  pairs  and 
preach,”  and  it  was  ordered  they  should  dwell  particu¬ 
larly  upon  the  fact  that  “  the  last  days  were  at  hand.” 

This  idea  is  one  that  has  a  great  hold  upon  many 
minds.  Nor  is  it  confined  to  the  ignorant ;  many  intel¬ 
ligent  men  in  every  generation  become  impressed  with 
the  idea  that  “  in  our  day  the  world  has  become  .so  cor¬ 
rupt,  that  God  Almighty  is  going  to  make  a  great  change,” 
and  in  spite  of  the  plain  declarations  of  Scripture,  fan¬ 
atics  will  wrest  the  mild  precepts  of  the  Gospel,  and 
force  them  to  indicate  that  hell-fire  and  destruction  are 
impending  over  everybody  but  their  own  particular  sect. 
The  Mormons  began  as  Millenarians,  and  that  of  the 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


35 


maddest  sort ;  but  they  did  not  preach  that  the  world 
itself  was  to  be  destroyed,  only  that  destruction  was  soon 
to  fall  upon  all  who  did  not  embrace  the  new  gospel. 
No  particular  time  was  set  for  this  consummation,  but  it 
was  understood  to  be  imminent.  Early  in  1831,  John 
Whitm’er  was  appointed  Church  recorder  and  historian, 
and  about  the  same  time,  the  remaining  New  York 
Saints  came  to  Kirtland,  which  is  set  down  in  Mormon 
annals  as  the  First  Hegira. 

On  the  6  th  of  June,  the  Melchisedek,  or  Superior 
Priesthood,  was  first  conferred  upon  the  elders,  and  soon 
after  Joe  Smith  had  a  revelation  that  the  final  gather¬ 
ing  place  of  the  Saints  was  to  be  in  Missouri.  He  set 
out  the  same  month  with  a  few  elders,  and  in  the  middle 
of  July,  reached  Jackson  County,  Missouri,  where  an¬ 
other  revelation  was  granted  that  this  was  “  Zion  which 
should  never  be  moved,”  and  the  whole  land  was  66  sol¬ 
emnly  dedicated  to  the  Lord  and  His  Saints.”  They 
began  at  once  to  build,  and  laid  the  first  log  in  Kaw 
Township,  twelve  miles  west  of  Independence.  Another 
revelation,  of  August  2d,  fixed  the  site  of  the  Great 
Temple  “  three  hundred  yards  west  of  the  Court  House 
in  Independence,”  which  spot  was  accordingly  dedicated 
by  religious  exercises,  which  were  followed  by  a  great 
accession  of  “  gifts.”  On  the  4th  of  August,  another 
large  party  arrived  from  Kirtland,  a  “  General  Confer¬ 
ence  ”  was  held  in  the  “  land  of  Zion,”  and  another  rev¬ 
elation  vouchsafed  to  Joseph,  that  the  whole  land  should 
be  theirs,  and  should  not  be  obtained  “  but  by  purchase 
or  by  blood.” 

Just  what  was  to  be  understood  by  that  strange 


36  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

wording,  it  is  now  impossible  to  toll.  The  Mormons 
explain  it  very  innocently,  and  the  Missourians  con¬ 
strued  it  to  mean  that  the  Saints  would  unite  with  the 
Indians  and  drive  out  the  old  settlers.  Joe  Smith  re¬ 
turned  to  Kirtland  the  latter  part  of  August,  and  soon 
after  established  a  mill,  store,  and  bank.  The  last  was 
what  was  then  denominated  a  “  wild  cat  ”  bank,  that  is, 
it  had  no  charter,  and  deposited  no  State  bonds  for  se¬ 
curity  ;  but  rested  solely  on  the  individual  credit  of  the 
proprietors.  As  several  wealthy  men  had  come  into 
the  new  organization,  the  notes  of  the  bank  circulated 
at  par.  Joseph  Smith  was  made  President,  and  Sidney 
Rigdon,  Cashier.  For  the  next  five  months,  Joseph 
travelled  and  preached  in  the  Northern  and  Eastern 
States,  making  many  converts,  who  “  gathered  ”  either 
at  Kirtland,  or  in  Missouri.  The  elders  sent  out  in 
February  previous  had  met  with  tolerable  success,  and 
Samuel  H.  Smith,  brother  of  the  Prophet,  had  added 
greatly  to  the  Church  by  converting  Brigham  Young. 
This  noted  personage  was  born  at  Whittingham,  Wind¬ 
ham  Co.,  Vermont,  June  1st,  1801.  He  had  four  brothers 
and  six  sisters,  all  of  whom  became  Mormons.  He  was 
.  baptized  in  April,  1832,  by  Eleazer  Millard,  and  soon 
after  “  gathered  ”  at  Kirtland.  He  was  brought  up  on 
.a  larm,  and  learned  the  trade  of  painter  and  glazier, 
which  he  followed  till  after  his  conversion  to  Mormon- 
ism.  In  him  Joe  Smith  recognized  one  u  born  to  rule,” 
and  his  deep  cunning  and  wonderful  knowledge  of  the 
weak  points  in  human  nature,  soon  gave  him  a  leading 
position  in  the  Church.  In  March,  1832,  Joe  Smith 
and  Sidney  Rigdon,  while  absent  from  home,  were  tarred 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


37 


and  feathered  by  a  mob,  “  for  attempting  to  establish 
Communism,  for  forgery  and  dishonorable  dealing,”  ac¬ 
cording  to  their  adversaries  ;  by  their  own  account,  “  for 
the  truth’s  sake,”  and  this  is  set  down  as  “  the  beginning 
of  persecutions.”  Early  in  April,  Joe  Smith  found  it 
necessary  to  go  again  to  Independence,  Mo.,  where  a 
sort  of  “  (Ecumenical  Council  ”  was  held,  and  a  printing 
office  set  up.  In  June,  was  issued  the  “  Morning  and 
Evening  Star,”  the  first  Mormon  periodical,  edited  by 
W.  W.  Phelps.  Joe  Smith  soon  returned  to  Kirtland, 
and  the  latter  part  of  the  same  year  Heber  Chase  Kim¬ 
ball  was  baptized  into  the  Church.  In  February,  1833, 
Joe  Smith  finished  his  “ inspired  retranslation”  of  the 
New  Testament,  and  soon  after  received  a  “  revelation 
to  square  things  in  Zion.”  A  quorum  of  three  High 
Priests,  Joseph  Smith,  Sidney  Higdon,  and  Frederick 
G.  Williams,  was  organized  as  “  Presidency  of  the 
Church,”  and  they  were  at  once  favored  with  “  visions  of 
the  Saviour  and  concourse  of  angels.” 

By  the  spring  of  1833,  the  Mormons  numbered  some 
fifteen  hundred  in  Jackson  County,  Missouri.  They 
had  taken  virtual  possession  of  Independence,  where 
their  paper  was  published,  and  were  fast  extending  their 
settlements  westward.  The  intense  religious  excitement 
which  raged  throughout  the  United  States  during  the 
decade  of  1820-30,  which  led  to  the  wild  phenomena  of 
“jerks,”  and  so-called  religious  exercises  of  howling, 
jumping,  barking  and  muttering,  seems  to  have  left  a 
precipitate  of  its  worst  materials  in  Mormonism.  They 
daily  proclaimed  to  the  older  settlers  that  the  Lord  had 
given  them  the  whole  land  of  Missouri ;  that  bloody 


38  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

wars  would  extirpate  all  other  sects  from  the  country ; 
that  “  it  would  be  one  gore  of  blood  from  the  Mississippi 
to  the  border/’  and  that  the  few  who  survived  would  be 
servants  to  the  Saints,  who  would  own  all  the  property 
in  the  country.  As  their  numbers  increased,  arrogance 
and  spiritual  pride  took  possession  ol  them ;  they  pro¬ 
claimed  themselves  “  Kings  and  priests  of  the  Most 
High  God,”  and  regarded  all  others  as  reprobates,  des¬ 
tined  to  a  speedy  destruction.  In  conversation  with  the 
Missourians,  they  never  wearied  of  declaring  that  all 
the  Churches  established  by  the  latter  were  “  alike  the 
creation  of  the  devil,”  that  they  were  under  the  curse 
of  God  and  all  their  members  doomed,  castaway  Gen¬ 
tiles,  worse  than  heathen,  and  unworthy  of  longer  life. 
At  the  same  time  it  does  not  appear  that  there  were  any 
more  violations  of  law  among  them,  than  would  be 
among  the  same  number  of  very  poor  and  ignorant  peo¬ 
ple  anywhere ;  but  their  general  conduct  was  insufferable. 
In  the  first  flush  of  their  religious  enthusiasm,  they  seem 
to  have  been  governed  by  no  ideas  of  moderation;  they 
proclaimed  through  the  country  that  it  was  useless  folly 
for  Gentiles  to  open  farms,  the  Lord  would  never  allow 
them  to  enjoy  the  fruits  of  their  labor;  they  notified 
the  workmen  upon  new  buildings  that  they  could  never 
hope  to  be  paid  therefor,  and  generally  proclaimed  that 
in  a  very  few  months  the  Gentiles  would  have  neither 
name  nor  place  in  Missouri. 

The  simple-minded  Missourians  listened  with  a  vague 
wonder  to  their  first  predictions,  then  smiled  at  their 
confident  boastings  of  superior  purity  and  holiness  ;  but 
soon  their  increasing  numbers  and  arrogance  awakened 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


39 


serious  fears  of  the  future.  The  Missourians,  unaccus¬ 
tomed  to  the  language  of  hyperbole  in  prophecy,  inter 
preted  their  predictions  to  mean  that  the  Saints 
themselves  would  be  the  ministers  of  God’s  vengeance, 
and  smite  the  unbelievers ;  many  were  incensed  against 
them  for  their  language,  and  the  public  mind  was 
greatly  inflamed.  In  April,  1833,  a  number  of  Missou¬ 
rians  came  together  in  Independence,  and  decided  that 
“  means  of  defence  ought  to  be  taken,”  but  determined 
upon  nothing.  The  first  June  number  of  the  Morning 
and  Evening  Star  contained  an  intemperate  article, 
headed,  “‘Free  People  of  Color,”  which  excited  the 
wrath  of  the  old  citizens  against  the ,  Mormons,  as 
“  abolitionists,”  and  was  answered  by  a  small  pamphlet, 
headed,  “  Beware  of  False  Prophets.”  As  summer  ad¬ 
vanced,  it  appeared  that  the  Mormons  would  be  suffi¬ 
ciently  numerous  to  carry  the  county  at  the  August 
election,  and  this  roused  all  Jthe  fears  of  the  old  settlers 
afresh.  Without  apparent  concert,  an  armed  mob  of 
three  hundred  assembled  at  Independence,  tore  down 
the  newspaper  office,  tarred  and  feathered  several  of  the 
Saints,  whipped  two  of  them  a  little  and  ordered  all  to 
leave  the  county.  Oliver  Cowdery  was  started  to  Kirt- 
land  to  consult  with  J oe  Smith ;  but,  during  his  absence, 
the  Saints  agreed  with  the  citizens  to  leave  Jackson 
County.  On  the  8th  of  October,  W.  W.  Phelps  and 
Orson  Hyde  presented  a  memorial  to  Governor  Dunklin, 
of  Missouri,  praying  for  redress,  to  which  that  officer 
made  answer,  that  they  “had  a  right  to  the  protection 
of  the  law,  if  they  chose  to  stay  in  Jackson.”  Embold¬ 
ened  by  this,  they  refused  to  leave  according  to  agree- 


40  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 


FLIGHT  OF  THE  MORMONS  FROM  JACKSON  CO.,  MO. 


ment,  and  the  last  of  the  month  the  mob  again  rose, 
burnt  ten  Mormons’  houses  and  committed  a  feAV  other 
outrages.  The  Mormons  armed  in  turn,  and  fired  into 
a  portion  of  the  mob,  killing  tAYO ;  the  Avhole  body  of 
citizens  then  arose  against  them,  calling  in  aid  from 
other  counties,  Avhen  the  Mormons  became  panic- 
stricken  and  suddenly  evacuated  Jackson,  crossing  the 
Missouri  River  during  the  nights  of  November  4th  and 
otli,  into  Clay  County. 

This  first  expulsion  of  the  Mormons  is  a  point  upon 
Avhich  there  has  been  much  discussion.  That  the  people 
of  Jackson  County  Avere  not  justified  in  laAV  is  plain; 
but  that  they  did  exactly  as  the  people  of  nine  counties 
out  of  ten  Avould  have  done,  is  equally  plain.  They 
seem  to  have  been  actuated  much  more  by  a  fear  of 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


41 


what  the  Mormons  would  do  when  they  had  the  power, 
than  by  what  they  had  done ;  and  that  those  fears  were 
well  founded,  is  abundantly  shown  by  subsequent  events* 
The  near  vicinity  of  the  Mormons  was  intolerable,  and 
the  settlers  were  determined  they  should  leave.  The 
mob  allowed  the  Saints  to  carry  their  printing  material 
to  Liberty,  Clay  Co.,  where  they  soon  after  began  to 
publish  the  Missouri  Enquirer.  They  spread  themselves 
over  Clay  and  into  V an  Buren  County  ;  hut  were  “  per¬ 
secuted  ”  and  annoyed  in  the  latter  so  they  made  no 
great  settlement. 

Meanwhile,  Joe  Smith  and  a  much  more  intelligent 
class  of  Mormons  were  building  up  Kirtland.  July  2d, 
1833,  Smith  completed  his  “  inspired  translation  ”  of 
the  Old  Testament,  and  soon  after  a  printing  press 
was  set  up  in  Kirtland,  and  the  Latter-Day  /Saints 
Messenger  and  Advocate  established.  “  Old  man  Smith,” 
the  Prophet’s  father,  was  made  Patriarch,  and  Bishop 
Partridge  head  of  that  branch  of  the  Church.  When 
the  news  of  affairs  in  Jackson  County  reached  him, 
Joseph  “  determined  on  war,  and  began  at  once  to 
collect  a  small  force.”  He  soon  had  two  hundred  men, 
with  whom  he  started  westward ;  “  marched  on  Mis- 

i 

souri,”  according  to  Gentile  history ;  “  hoped  to  redeem 
Zion,”  according  to  Mormon  annals.  About  this  time, 
Joseph  had  another  revelation  “  as  to  business,”  which 
will  be  found  in  the  Doctrine  and  Covenants  with  the 
rest,  which  contained,  among  other  directions,  this  re¬ 
markable  passage  : — u  Behold,  it  is  said  or  written  in 
my  laws :  Thou  shalt  not  get  in  debt  to  thine  enemies. 
But,  behold,  it  is  not  said  at  any  time  the  Lord  should 


42  LIFE  IN  UTAH j  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

not  take  when  He  pleases ,  and  pay  as  seemeth  to  Him 
good.  Wherefore,  as  ye  are  on  the  Lord’s  business, 
whatsoever  ye  do,”  etc.  We  need  not  he  surprised, 
therefore,  to  learn,  as  we  do  from  Joseph’s  Autobiogra¬ 
phy,  that  the  people  along  the'  road  were  very  hostile. 
Two  days  before  starting,  on  May  3d,  the  Conference 
of  Elders,  in  Kirtland,  repudiated  the  name  of  Mor¬ 
mons  and  adopted,  for  the  first  time,  .that  of  Latter- 
Day  Saints  3  and  we  notice  in  Joseph’s  account  that 
along  the  road  they  constantly  denied  the  name  of 
Mormons.  These  being  the  last  days,”  they  were 
Latter-day  Saints,  as  well  as  to  distinguish  them  from 
the  Saints  of  former  days ;  the  term  Mormon,  on  the 
contrary,  is  supposed  to  be  derived  from  the  Greek 
Mop/xou  [. Mormon ],  signifying  a  66 horrible  fright”  or  66 bug¬ 
bear.” 

Joe  and  his  “  army  ”  reached  Missouri  in  the  latter 
part  of  J une,  but  while  near  the  Mississippi,  the  cholera, 
then  but  just  known  in  America,  broke  out  in  his  camp, 
and  in  a  few  days  twenty  of  the  company  died.  Joe 
preached,  prayed  and  prophesied  in  vain  ;  his  followers 
were  panic-stricken  at  the  horrible  and  unknown  dis¬ 
ease.  He  first  attempted  to  cure  it  “  by  laying  on  of 
hands,”  but  desisted  with  the  remark,  that  66  when  the 
Lord  would  destroy,  it  was  vain  for  man  to  attempt  to 
stay  His  hand.”  An  armed  force  which  had  meanwhile 
gathered  in  Jackson  County,  in  anticipation  of  his 
coming,  was  scattered  by  a  violent  storm,  and  in  a  few 
days,  the  cholera  having  spent  its  force,  the  company 
reached  Liberty.  There  was  nothing  to  be  done,  and 
in  a  lew  days  Smith  returned  to  Kirtland.  A  quorum 


I 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM  43 

of  twelve  apostles  was  then  organized,  among  them, 
Brigham  Young  and  Heber  C.  Kimball.  The  former 
received  the  u  gift  of  tongues,”  and  was  sent  on  a  mis¬ 
sion  to  the  Eastern  States,  and  in  May,  1835,  all  the 
twelve  left  Kirtland  on  general  missions.  The  ensuing 
August,  there  was  a  General  Assembly  at  Kirtland,  in 
which  the  66  Book  of  Doctrine  and  Covenants,”  and 
the  “  Lectures  on  Faith,”  by  Sidney  *  Higdon,  were 
adopted  as  the  rule  of  faith.  About  this  time,  a  learned 
Jew,  formerly  Professor  of  Oriental  tongues  in  New 
York,  was  connected  with  the  Mormons,  and  on  the 
4th  of  January,  1836,  a  Hebrew  professorship  was 
established  at  Kirtland,  Joseph  Smith  and  several 
other  leading  Mormons  entering  upon  the  study.  A 
Temple  had  been  projected  early  in  the  settlement, 
which  was  completed  and  dedicated  as  the  “  House  of 
the  Lord,”  March  27th,  1836.  This  was  their  first 
temple,  and  its  estimated  cost,  $40,000.  Meanwhile, 
Governor  Dunklin  had  attempted  to  have  the  Mormons 
again  put  in  possession  of  their  lands,  in  Jackson 
County,  whereupon  a  committee  of  citizens  from  the 
latter  met  a  committee  of  the  Mormons,  and  offered  the 
following  : 

“  Proposition  of  the  people  of  Jackson  County  to  the 

Mormons : 

u  The  undersigned  committee,  being  fully  authorized 
by  the  people  of  Jackson  County,  hereby  propose  to  the 
Mormons,  that  they  will  buy  all  the  land  that  the  said 
Mormons  own  in  the  County  of  Jackson,  and  also  all 
the  improvements  which  the  said  Mormons  had  on  any 
of  the  public  lands  in  said  County  of  J ackson,  as  they 


44  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

existed  before  the  first  disturbance  between  the  people 
of  Jackson  and  the  Mormons,  and  for  such  as  they  have 
made  since.  They  further  propose,  that  the  valuation 
of  said  land  and  improvements  shall  be  ascertained  by 
three  disinterested  arbitrators,  to  be  chosen  and  agreed 
to  by  both  parties.  They  further  propose,  that  should 
the  parties  disagree  in  the  choice  of  arbitrators,  then 
— — is  to  choose  them.  They  further  propose,  that 
twelve  of  the  Mormons  shall  be  permitted  to  go  along 
with  the  arbitrators,  to  show  them  their  land  and  im¬ 
provements  while  valuing  the  same,  and  such  other  of 
the  Mormons  as  the  arbitrators  shall  wish  to  do  so,  to 
give  them  information ;  and  the  people  of  Jackson  County 
hereby  guarantee  their  entire  safety  while  doing  so. 
They  further  propose,  that  when  the  arbitrators  report 
the  value  of  the  land  and  improvements,  as  aforesaid, 
the  people  of  Jackson  will  pay  the  valuation,  ivith  one 

i 

hundred  per  cent .,  added  thereon ,  to  the  Mormons  within 
thirty  days  thereafter. 

u  They  further  propose,  that  the  Mormons  are  not  to 
make  any  effort,  ever  after,  to  settle  either  collectively 
or  individually  within  the  limits  of  Jackson  County. 
The  Mormons  are  to  enter  into  bonds  to  insure  the  con¬ 
veyance  of  their  land  in  Jackson  County,  according  to 
the  above  terms,  when  payment  shall  be  made  ;  and  the 
committee  will  enter  into  a  like  bond,  with  such  securitv 
as  may  be  deemed  sufficient  for  the  payment  of  the 
money,  according  to  the  above  proposition,  etc.,  etc.” 

The  Mormons  have  always  maintained  that  their  later 
troubles  were  “  solely  on  account  of  their  religion,”  but 
that  they  were  driven  from  Jackson  County  because 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


45 


“  the  mob  desired  to  get  possession  of  their  lands.”  The 
above  document  certainly  tends  to  disprove  that  charge. 
The  foremost  men  in  the  county  offered  their  personal 
security  for  the  payment,  but  the  Mormons  rejected  the 
proposition,  on  the  ground  that  the  Lord  had  said,  a  Zion 
should  never  be  moved.”  The  citizens  of  Jackson  then 
became  apprehensive  that  they  would  be  attacked  from 
Clay  County,  and  stirred  up  those  in  tjie  latter  county 
who  considered  they  already  had  cause  to  complain  of 
the  Mormons ;  so  th§y  “  requested  ”  the  latter,  in  May, 
1836,  to  remove,  which  they  did,  this  time  settling  in 
Carroll,  Davis  and  Caldwell  Counties.  In  the  last  named 
they  founded  the  town  of  Far-West,  and  these  counties 
being  new  and  unoccupied,  they  prospered  greatly  for  a 
while. 

In  June,  1837,  the  first  organized  foreign  mission  was 
sent  to  England,  consisting  of  H.  C.  Kimball,  Orson 
Hyde  and  W.  Eichards.  On  the  30th  of  July  following, 
they  baptized  the  first  converts  there,  in  the  river  Kib¬ 
ble,  and  the  first  confirmation  of  members  was  at  Wal- 
kerford,  August  4th.  The  first  Conference  of  English 
Mormons  was  held  in  the  cock-pit  at  Preston,  the  25th 
of  the  following  December. 

In  the  autumn  of  the  same  year,  the  “  Kirtland  Safety 
Society  Bank,”  engineered  by  Smith  and  Higdon,  failed, 
under  circumstances  which  created  great  scandal,  and 
the  Prophet  had  a  revelation  to  “  depart  for  the  land  of 
Zion,”  in  Missouri.  Smith  and  Higdon  left  Kirtland 
“  between  two  days,”  and  their  creditors  pursued  them 
for  a  hundred  miles;  but  in  the  language  of  Josephs 
Autobiography,  “  the  Lord  delivered  them  out  of  the 


46  LIFE  IN  UTAH \  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

hands  of  their  persecutors.”  They  reached  Far- West  in 
March,  and  found  a  fearful  schism  raging  in  the  Church. 
The  authority  of  Joseph  was  unequal  to  the  task  of  re¬ 
storing  order,  and  Martin  Harris,  Oliver  Cowdery  and 
one  L.  E.  Johnson  were  “  cut  off  from  the  Church,” 
while  Orson  Hyde,  Thomas  B.  Marsh,  W.  W.  Phelps 
and  many  others  apostatized  and  brought  many  serious 
charges  against  Joe  Smith  and  other  leaders.  It  was 
said  they  were  plotting  treason  against  the  State,  that 
they  were  conspiring  with  the  Indians,  that  they  were 
engaged  in  counterfeiting  and  cattle-stealing,  and  were 
attempting  to  establish  a  community  of  goods  as  well  as 
wives.  The  dissenters  stirred  up  the  neighboring  people 
against  the  Saints,  and  for  purposes  of  defence  and  re¬ 
taliation  the  “  Danite  Band  ”  was  organized.  They 
were  first  commanded  by  D.  W.  Patton,  who  took  the 
name  of  “  Captain  Fearnot,”  and  styled  themselves 
66  Daughters  of  Gideon.”  Afterwards  they  adopted  their 
present  name  from  the  suggestion  in  Genesis  xlix.  17  : 
“  Dan  shall  be  a  serpent  by  the  way,  an  adder  in  the 
path,  that  biteth  the  horse  heels,  so  that  his  rider  shall 
fall  backward.” 

On  the  4th  of  July,  Sidney  Rigdon  preached  what  he 
called,  “  Sidney’s  last  sermon ;  ”  in  which  he  threatened 
Gentiles  and  apostates  with  violence,  and  declared  that 
the  “  Saints  were  above  all  law.”  Troubles  soon  after 
arose  in  Davis  County,  at  elections ;  the  Mormons  all 
voting  one  way  secured  control  of  the  County ;  a  gen¬ 
eral  fight  occurred  at  the  August  election  in  the  town  of 
Gallatin,  in  which  a  number  were  seriously  wounded  on 
both  sides.  For  two  months  there  were  occasional  fights 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


47 


all  over  Davis  County,  and  the  Mormons  at  length  de¬ 
clared  their  “  independence  of  all  earthly  rulers  and 
magistrates.”  The  Clerk  of  the  county,  a  Mormon, 
was  commanded  by  Joe  SiAith  to  issue  no  more  writs 
against  the  Saints  ;  and  the  Justice  of  the  Peace  in  Gal¬ 
latin  was  mobbed  for  entertaining  suits  against  them. 
Scattering  parties  of  militia  began  to  assemble  under 
arms  in  the  neighboring  counties,  one  of  which,  com¬ 
manded  by  Captain  Bogart,  came  to  battle  with  a  party 
of  seventy  Mormons  and  defeated  them.  Another  party 
of  Mormons  attacked  the  militia  near  Richmond,  in  Clay 
County,  and  killed  two  of  them;  the  latter  returned 
the  fire,  killing  “  Captain  Fearnot.”  The  Mormons  then 
rose  en  masse  and  drove  out  all  the  officers  of  Davis 
County  not  of  their  faith,  and  burned  and  plundered 
the  town  of  Gallatin,  another  small  village,  and  much  of 
the  surrounding  country,  driving  out  the  inhabitants. 

About  this  time,  Brigham  Young  fled  for  his  life  to 
Quincy,  Illinois.  The  troubles  grew  so  extensive  and 
complicated,  that  after  many  attempts  to  learn  something 
definite  from  “  the  seat  of  war,”  Governpr  Lilburn  W. 
Boggs  called  out  fifteen  thousand  militia/co  restore  order. 
The  first  detachment  had  a  sort  of  ba/ie  with  the  Mor¬ 
mons  in  Carroll  County,  after  which,  Governor  Boggs 
issued  an  order  that  the  Mormons  “  should  be  expelled 
from  the  State,”  adding,  “  even  if  it  was  necessary  to  ex¬ 
terminate  them.”  This  is  the  celebrated  66  extermina¬ 
ting  order,”  and  Governor  Boggs  the  u  Nero  ”  of  Mor¬ 
mon  historians.  Another  body  of  militia  were  fired 
upon  by  the  Mormons  at  Haun’s  Mill,  and  in  revenge 
exterminated  the  whole  Mormon  party,  variously  esti- 


48  LIFE  IN  UTAH  j  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

mated  at  from  sixteen  to  thirty.  Only  two  escaped 
alive.  The  Mormon  forces  then  began  to  retreat  on 
every  hand,  and  finally  united  in  the  town  of  Far- 
West,  where  they  were  surrounded  by  a  large  militia 
force  under- Generals  Doniphan,  Lucas  and  Clarke,  and 
compelled  to  surrender  at  discretion.  Most  of  their 
plunder  was  recaptured  and  delivered  to  the  owners,  and 
the  great  body  of  the  Mormons  were  released  under  a 
promise  to  leave  the  State. 

Joe  Smith,  Hyrum  Smith,  and  forty  others  were  held 
for  trial,  and  the  militia  officers  forthwith  organized  a 
Court  Martial  and  condemned  several  of  them  to  be 
shot !  But  General  Doniphan,  a  sound  lawyer  and 
brave  man,  by  a  firm  use  of  his  authority  and  influence, 
prevented  this  foolishly  illegal  action.  The  prisoners 
were  taken  before  the  nearest  Circuit  Judge  and  put 
upon  trial  “  for  treason,  murder,  robbery,  arson,  larceny, 
and  breach  of  the  peace.”  They  could  not  well  have 
been  tried  for  more  ;  but  it  seems  by  the  evidence  that 
many  of  them  were  guilty  on  most  of  the  charges. 
They  were  committed  to  jail  to  await  their  final  trial. 
The  evidence  in  the  case  was  printed  by  order  of  the 
Missouri  Legislature,  and  presents  a  singular  instance  of 
how  a  few  knaves  may  lead  to  their  destruction  a  whole 
people,  if  sufficiently  ignorant  and  fanatical.  Compara¬ 
tive  peace  was  restored,  but  the  history  of  civil  commo¬ 
tions  shows  that  private  revenge  will  seek  such  a  period 
for  its  gratification,  and  in  many  neighborhoods  fearful 
outrages  were  perpetrated  upon  individual  Mormons  by 
those  who  held  a  personal  animosity  against  them. 
Their  leaders  had  provoked  a  conflict  for  which  the  in- 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


49 


nocent  suffered ;  and  the  most  quiet  and  unoffending 
portion  of  the  Mormons  were  hunted  out  and  rudely 
hurried  from  their  homes  at  the  most  inclement  season 
of  the  year,  often  without  a  chance  to  supply  themselves 
or  dispose  of  their  property,  and  much  suffering  was  the 
result.  They  now  numbered  over  twelve  thousand,  and 
in  the  month  of  December  this  large  body  began  the 
journey  into  Illinois,  which  the  most  of  them  reached 
in  January,  1839.  They  spread  over  the  western  coun¬ 
ties  wherever  they  could  find  food  or  employment,  par¬ 
ticularly  about  the  town  of  Quincy,  in  Adams  county ; 
while  many  went  as  far  east  as  Springfield,  and  others 
to  St.  Louis.  They  were  everywhere  received  as  suf¬ 
ferers  for  their  religion,  and  to  some  extent  for  their 
“  free-state  ”  sentiments;  for  Illinois  was  just  then  be¬ 
ginning  to  be  agitated  by  the  anti-slavery  excitement, 
and  the  Mormons  had  been  driven  from  a  slave  State. 
The  Missouri  border  had  never  been  well  spoken  of,  nor 
was  it  till  long  afterwards ;  and  the  Illinoisans  rather 
seemed  pleased  with  the  opportunity  of  showing  how 
superior  they  were  to  the  “  border  ruffians.”  They  re¬ 
garded  but  little  the  Mormon  statement  that  their  reli¬ 
gion  was  the  only  cause  of  trouble ;  in  fact  the  more  in¬ 
telligent  knew  that  such  could  not  be  the  case  ;  but  they 
made  haste  to  assume  that  the  Mormons  were  “New 
York  and  New  England  Yankees,  driven  out  as  abolition- 
i  ists,”  because  the  Missourians  would  not  tolerate «  such 
sentiments.  The  people  of  Illinois,  particularly  of  the 
western  counties,  knew  little  and  cared  less  about  dif¬ 
ferences  of  speculative  theology.  That  portion  known 
as  the  “  Military  Tract”  had  but  lately  come  into  mar- 

4 


50  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

ket,  and  was  settled  very  rapidly;  the  religious  training 
of  the  people  had  not  kept  pace  with  the  advance  of 
their  material  interests,  and  a  sermon  to  them  was  a 
sermon,  whether  preached  by  Arminian  or  Calvinist, 
orthodox  Trinitarian  or  heterodox  Unitarian.  Perhaps 
they  were  not  impious  or  skeptical ;  religion  was  66  at 
loose  ends,”  but  there  wms  always  a  sentiment  in  its 
favor,  only  sectarianism  was  little  understood,  talked 
of,  or  cared  for.  In  short  the  charity  of  these  people 
was  broad  enough  to  cover  all  sects,  and  no  man  was 
persecuted  or  called  in  question  for  his  religious  belief. 
Under  these  circumstances  they  gave  the  Mormon  peo¬ 
ple  protection,  and  welcomed  them  to  their  homes  and 
tables ;  they  listened  to  the  story  of  their  wrongs  with 
tears  in  their  eyes ;  they  grasped  the  outcasts  by  the 
hand,  and  swore  to  stand  by  them  to  the  bitter  end. 
Subscriptions  were  opened  for  them  in  many  places ; 
even  the  Indians,  yet  upon  a  near  reservation,  con¬ 
tributed  liberally,  and  several  sections  made  kindly 
overtures,  and  pressingly  invited  the  fugitives  to  settle 
among  them.  They  had  not  yet  caught  sight  of  the 
cloven  foot  of  the  monster,  or  seen  its  miscreated  front. 

The  Missourians  found,  in  the  meantime,  that  they 
had  “  caught  an  elephant ;”  they  had  Joe  Smith,  his 
brother  Hyrum,  and  forty  others  in  jail  on  a  multitude 
of  charges ;  but  many  of  the  witnesses  were  gone,  the 
trial  would  have  been  long  and  expensive,  and  it  was 
probably  the  best  policy  to  get  them  all  out  of  the 
State  in  such  a  way  that  none  would  re-enter  it,  rather 
than  condemn  a  few  to  the  penitentiary.  Accordingly, 
they  were  removed  from  place  to  place,  loosely  guarded, 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


51 


and  on  the  15th  of  April,  Joseph  and  a  few  others 
escaped  from  their  guards,  who  were  either  drunk  or 
pretended  to  be.  They  hastily  made  their  way  to 
Quincy,  followed  by  the  small  remnant  of  Mormons 
which  had  been  left  at  Far- West.  The  remaining 
prisoners  escaped  and  followed  soon  after,  and  in  the 
language  of  Governor  Boggs’  next  message,  “  the  young 
and  growing  State  was  happily  rid  of  the  fanatical 
sect but  in  the  language  of  Mormon  poetry, 

“  -  Missouri, 

Like  a  whirlwind  in  her  fury, 

Drove  the  Saints  and  spilled  their  blood.” 

Early  in  May,  Joe  Smith  went  to  Commerce,  in 
Hancock  County,  Illinois,  by  invitation  of  Dr.  Isaac 
Galland,  from  whom  he  obtained  a  large  tract  of  land 
near  the  head  of  the  Des  Moines  Bapids,  and  shortly 
had  another  revelation  for  his  people  to  settle  there. 
To  a  proper  understanding  of  their  future  history  a 
brief  sketch  of  the  locality  is  necessary,  which  has 
been  kindly  furnished  me  by  It.  W.  McKinney,  Esq., 
present  Postmaster  at  Nauvoo,  who  has  resided  in  that 
vicinity  since  1837 : 

“  Hancock  is  a  river  county,  washed  on  the  west  by 
the  Mississippi  for  forty  miles,  taking  into  account  the 
windings  of  the  river.  It  w j*  originally  nearly  all 
prairie,  extending  eastward,  i  a  direct  line  from 
Commerce  twenty-five  miles  -J  igh  and  rolling,  with  a 
soil  of  inexhaustible  fertili/  and  with  most  of  the 
timber  fringing  the  stream,  along  the  eastern  border. 
The  western  part  of  the  county,  bordering  on  the  Des 
Moines  Rapids ;  was  always  a  favorite  spot  of  beauty  to 


52  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

the  voyager  on  the  Mississippi ;  the  eye  was  here 
relieved  by  a  most  inviting  prospect,  the  river  was 
fringed  by  low  wooded  hills,  from  which  gushed 
clear  and  sparkling  brooks,  passing  with  low  musical 
murmurs  over  their  rocky  beds  until  they  were  finally 
lost  in  the  ‘  Father  of  Waters.’ 

66  But  the  early  progress  of  Hancock  County  was 
anything  but  encouraging.  While  other  sections  of 
the  State,  with  fewer  advantages  and  a  less  healthy 
climate,  rapidly  augmented  in  wealth  and  population, 
this  remained  almost  a  wilderness,  and  this  by  reason 
of  uncertain  titles. 

“  Hancock  County,  fair,  healthful,  and  fertile,  6  even 
as  the  Garden  of  the  Lord,’ ‘was  one  of  those  unfor¬ 
tunate  counties  comprised  in  that  afflicted  section  lying 
between  the  Illinois  and  Mississippi  rivers,  known  as 
the  ‘  Military  Tract.’  It  had  been  set  apart  by  Act  of 
Congress  as  bounty  land  for  the  soldiers  of  the  War  of 
1812  ;  but  few  of  them  emigrated  there,  and  nearly  all 
of  the  patents,  or  c  soldiers’  rights,’  as  they  were  called, 
were  thrown  upon  the  market  for  sale.  This  furnished, 
for  a  score  of  years,  a  rich  harvest  for  speculators  and 
land  jobbers,  and  the  ‘  Military  Tract  ’  became  the 
‘ happy  hunting  ground’  of  sharks  and  sharpers  of 
every  description.  A  race  of  6  bloated  patent  holders  ’ 
was  thus  created,  whose  broad  tracts  of  wilderness  land 
rivalled  in  extent  the  proudest  dukedoms  and  baronies 
of  the  old  world.  It  was  against  sound  public  policy 
to  create  such  a  land  monopoly  on  the  public  domain ; 
but  much  greater  evils  grew  out  of  this  thing  in  the 
establishment  of  a  conflict  of  titles,  creating  doubt  and 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


53 


uncertainty,  casting  a  shadow  on  every  man’s  home¬ 
stead  who  dared  to  erect  it  on  the  Tract,  and  driving 
away  honest  and  enterprising  settlers.  A  system  arose 
in  the  East  of  forging  patents  by  having  absent  or  de¬ 
ceased  soldiers  represented  by  others,  and  even  by 
making  duplicate  copies  entire  without  affidavit,  or  aid 
from  the  Land  Office. 

“  In  hundreds  of  instances  there  were  three  patents 
upon  the  same  section,  with  facilities  to  make  a  thou¬ 
sand,  in  fact,  the  entire  Tract  Was  eventually  strewn 
with  patents  as  thick  as  autumn  leaver  in  an  un¬ 
broken  forest.  So  great  grew  the  evils  of  this  system, 
and  from  the  non-payment  of  taxes  by  non-residents, 
that  the  Legislature  of  Illinois  went  to  work  to  devise 
a  remedy.  But  the  Legislators  of  new  States  are  not 
generally  very  learned  or  capable  statesmen,  and  the 
sharpers  laughed  at  the  idea  of  illiterate  men  thwarting 
the  plans  of  men  whose  business  it  was  to  4  pierce  the 
centre  ’  of  the  most  explicit  statute.  The  Legislature 
having  tried  sharp  and  pointed  statutes  on  the  fra¬ 
ternity  before,  but  without  success,  instead  of  tinkering 
and  amending  laws  which  ‘John  Doe,  et  al .,’  had 
laughed  at,  tried  the  virtue  of  a  more  sweeping  enact¬ 
ment.  They  enacted,  in  substance,  that  if  any  one 
held  possession  of  land  for  seven  years  under  color 
of  title,  such  possession  should  be  proof  of  title  conclu¬ 
sive  against  all  the  world,  and  that  ‘John  Doe  et  al.,’ 
‘with  their  pockets  full  of  patents,  should  be  forever 
barred  and  excluded.  When  John  Doe  and  his  com¬ 
peers  took  in  the  force  of  this  statute,  not  a  smile  lit 
up  their  solemn  countenances.  They  were  caught  at 


54  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

last.  But  everybody  was  disappointed  by  the  final 
operation  of  the  statute.  It  only  created  or  attracted 
another  ‘  swarm  of  flies,  more  hungry,  voracious,  and 
pestilent  than  any  that  had  preceded  them ;  the 
heavens  and  the  earth  were  darkened  by  their  myriads, 
and  no  friendly  swallow  appeared  to  drive  them  away.’ 

“ No  sooner  was  the  ‘Delinquent  List’  exposed  for 
sale  for  non-payment  of  taxes,  than  a  crowd  appeared 
in  and  around  the  Court  House,  hungry  and  haggard, 
the  like  of  which  had  surely  not  been  sebn  since  Pha¬ 
raoh’s  lean  kine  emerged  from  the  river  Nile.  Here 
were  congregated  broken  down  tradesmen,  tinkers 
and  vagabonds ;  rough,  roaring,  swearing  fellows,  and 
smooth-faced,  hypocritical,  canting  knaves,  jostled  each 
other,  and  mingled  and  commingled  in  the  halls  of  jus¬ 
tice,  each  one  striving  with  the  few  dollars  he  had  con¬ 
trived  to  save  out  of  the  general  wreck  by  cheating  his 
creditors,  to  retrieve  his  fortunes,  and  the  result  was  a 
land-monopoly  more  corrupt  than  any  that  had  pre¬ 
ceded  it.  The  law  had  been  aimed  at  the  non-resident 
jobber,  to  compel  the  payment  of  taxes ;  but  this  un¬ 
scrupulous  crowd  hurled  it  without  mercy  or  discrimi¬ 
nation  at  the  heads  of  everybody ;  if  it  carried  away  the 
inheritance  of  the  widow  and  orphan,  it  was  all  the 
same  to  them.  The  wise  Legislators  stood  aghast  at 
the  havoc  they  had  innocently  caused.  They  had 
‘  called  spirits  from  the  vasty  deep,’  and  contrary  to  all 
past  experience  they  had  come.  These  sharpers  in¬ 
spired  general  terror,  and  no  wonder ;  for  had  the  in¬ 
congruous  and  villanous  crowd  made  a  descent  into 
hell,  the  devil  would  have  fled  howling  to  the  most  re- 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


55 


tired  and  gloomy  comer  of  his  domain,  leaving  them  to 
contend  and  squabble  among  themselves  for  a  ‘tax 
title  ’  on  his  burning  throne  !  It  was  now  an  indis¬ 
criminate  fight  on  the  ‘  Military  Tract,’  in  which  all 
sorts  of  persons,  with  all  sorts  of  papers,  documents, 
and  titles,  rushed  to  the  conflict  and  couched  their 
lances  for  the  fray.  In  this  hot  contest  the  unsophisti¬ 
cated  settler,  not  conversant  with  these  matters,  had 
but  little  show.  He  could  much  more  readily,  with 
the  slightest  possible  assistance,  ‘  read  his  title  clear  to 
mansions  in  the  skies’  than  so  establish  his  claim  to  a 

a: 

single  foot  of  land  covered  by  ‘  soldiers’  rights,’  forged 
patents,  and  tax  titles  on  the  whole  Military  Tract. 

“  Fortunately,  Hancock  County  was  not  altogether 
covered  by  these  titles.  The  Act  granted  the  soldier 
‘  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land,’  no  less,  no  more. 
Hence,  those  quarters  called  ‘fractional,’  with  less  or 
more  than  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres,  were  subject  to 
entry  at  the  Land  Office.  These  skirted  the  banks  of 
the  river  and  along  the  township  lines  of  the  whole 
county,  and  were  rapidly  taken  up  and  settled  before 
the  arrival  of  the  Mormons,  at  which  time  Hancock 
County  contained  a  sparse  population  of  several  thou¬ 
sand.  Owing  to  greater  security  of  title,  most  of  them 
were  settled  along  the  Mississippi.  The  Des  Moines 
Rapids  excited  much  attention  as  a  favorable  site. 
Among  the  conspicuous  men  who  visited  this  section 
was  General  Robert  E.  Lee,  then  a  Lieutenant  of  Topo¬ 
graphical  Engineers,  in  the  employ  of  the  War  Depart¬ 
ment,  for  the  purpose  of  making  a  survey  of  the  rapids. 
His  visit  was  in  1832,  and  he  remained  in  the  countv 


56  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

the  whole  season,  and  was  favorably  known  to  all  the 
old  settlers,  and  much  respected  for  his  urbanity  and 
gentlemanly  bearing.  It  was  then  a  favorite  idea  with 
some,  that  the  Mississippi  would  in  time  be  bridged  at 
these  Rapids,  and  that  at  no  other  place  could  a  perma¬ 
nent  structure  be  erected.  Hancock  was  organized  as 
a  county  in  1829,  and  the  Capital  permanently  estab¬ 
lished  a  few  years  after  at  Carthage. 

“  Meanwhile  the  courts  traveled  around  the  country 
after  the  manner  of  a  public  exhibition,  holding  terms 
at  such  points  as  met  the  views  of  the  lawyers,  or  per¬ 
haps  where  it  was  considered  that  law  and  justice  were 
most  needed.  Among  the  lawyers  who  then  practised 
in  Hancock,  were  Malcolm  McGregor,  Archibald  Wil¬ 
liams  and  0.  II .  Browning;  the  former,  a  brilliant 
genius,  died  young,  and  the  latter  two  have  since  be¬ 
come  ‘  known  to  fame.’ 

iC  First  in  history  was  a  Post  Office  at  the  Rapids, 
called  Venice,  but  there  was  no  town  of  that  name. 
In  the  year  1834,  Commerce  was  laid  out  by  Messrs. 
Alex.  White  and  J  ames  B.  Teas ;  and  shortly  after  a 
Mr.  Hotchkiss,  of  New  Haven,  Conn.,  laid  out  Com¬ 
merce  City,  just  above  the  other  town.  All  proved 
failures,  but  many  still  had  confidence  that  this  was 
the  place  for  a  great  city  in  the  future.  Among  the 
owners  of  the  ‘  bottom  land  ’  was  Dr.  Isaac  Galland,  a 
man  of  some  enterprise,  who,  immediately  after  the  fail¬ 
ure  of  Hotchkiss,  opened  a  correspondence  with  Joe 
Smith,  which  resulted  in  an  agreement  that  the  latter 
should  settle  all  his  people  near  Commerce.” 

To  the  foregoing  graphic  sketch  it  is  only  necessary 


57 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 

to  add,  that  the  Prophet  purchased  a  small  tract  and 
received  gratis  a  larger  one  ;  a  convenient  revelation 
was  vouchsafed  for  the  Saints  to  gather  to  this  stake  of 
Zion ;  they  complied  with  rapidity,  the  plat  of  a  great 
city  was  laid  out  and  the  Mormon  star  was  once  more 
in  the  ascendant. 


TARRING  AND  FEATHERING  JOE  SMITH 


58 


LIFE  IN  UTAH  5  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 


CHAPTER  II. 

HISTORY  FROM  THE  FOUNDING  OF  NAUVOO  TILL  1843. 

Rapid  growth  of  Nauvoo— Apparent  prosperity— “  The  vultures  gather  to 
the  carcass”— Crime,  polygamy  and  politics— Subserviency  of  the 
Politicians— Nauvoo  Charters— A  government  within  a  government — 
Joe  Smith  twice  arrested — Released  by  S.  A.  Douglas— Second  time 
by  Municipal  Court  of  Nauvoo— McKinney’s  Account — Petty  thieving 
— Gentiles  driven  out  of  Nauvoo — “  Whittling  Deacons  ” — “  Danites” — 
Anti-Mormons  organize  a  Political  Party — Treachery  of  Davis  and 
Owens — Defeat  of  Anti-Mormons— Campaign  of  1843 — Cyrus  Walker, 
a  great  Criminal  Lawyer — “ Revelation”  on  Voting — The  Prophet 
cheats  the  Lawyer —Astounding  perfidy  of  the  Mormon  Leaders— Great 
increase  of  popular  hatred — Just  anger  against  the  Saints. 

A  city  rose  as  if  by  magic.  Temporary  in  character 
as  most  of  the  buildings  were,  rude  log  houses  or  frame 
shanties,  they  served  to  shelter  the  rapidly  gathering 
Saints.  The  first  house  on  the  new  site  was  erected 
June  11th,  1839,  and  in  eighteen  months  thereafter 
there  were  two  thousand  dwellings,  besides  school 
houses  and  other  public  buildings.  The  new  city  was 
named  Nauvoo,  a  word  which  has  no  signification  in 
any  known  language,  but  in  the  “  reformed  Egyptian  ” 
of  Joe  Smith’s  imaginary  history,  is  said  to  mean 
“  The  Beautiful.”  The  site  was  indeed  beautiful,  but 
not  the  most  feasible  they  could  have  selected.  Instead 
of  locating  immediately  at  the  head  of  the  Rapids, 
where  there  was  a  convenient  landing  at  all  seasons, 
they  chose  a  spot  one  mile  below,  only  approachable 
by  steamboats  at  high  water.  The  temporary  struc- 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


59 


tures,  in  no  long  time,  gave  way  to  more  permanent 
buildings ;  improvements  multiplied  on  every  hand, 
and  Joe  Smith  had  almost  daily  revelations  directing 
how  every  work  should  be  carried  on.  Here,  it  was 
foretold,  was  to  be  built  a  great  city  and  temple,  which 
should  be  the  great  gathering  place  of  “  Zion,”  and 
central  rendezvous  of  the  sect,  “  until  such  time  as  the 
Lord  should  open  the  way  for  their  return  to  Zion, 
indeed” — Jackson  County,  Missouri;  and  from  here 
were  to  spread  gigantic  operations  for  the  conversion  of 
the  world.  One  by  one  most  of  the  Missouri  apostates 
came  creeping  back  into  the  Church ;  Orson  Hyde  was 
restored  to  his  place  as  apostle,  and  was  able  to  explain 
his  apparent  defection.  A  missionary  board  was  organ¬ 
ized,  and  arrangements  perfected  for  foreign  missions 
embracing  half  the  world.  On  the  29th  of  August, 
Orson  Pratt  and  Parley  P.  Pratt  set  out  on  a  mission 
to  England,  followed,  September  the  20th,  by  Elders 
Brigham  Young,  H.  C.  Kimball,  George  A.  Smith,  B. 
Hedlock,  and  T.  Turley.  Brigham  had  been  appointed 
“  President  of  the  Twelve  Apostles”  in  1836,  in  place 
of  Thomas  B.  Marsh,  the  apostate.  They  landed  at 
Liverpool  the  6th  of  April,  1840,  and  entered  with  zeal 
upon  their  work.  Brigham  assumed  entire  control  of 
the  enterprise,  established  various  missions,  baptized 
numerous  converts,  labored  among  the  common  people, 
preached,  prayed,  wrote  and  argued,  lived  hard,  and 
travelled  hundreds  of  miles  on  foot.  May  the  29th, 
1840,  he  established  and  issued  the  first  number  of  the 
Latter-Day  Saints  Millennial  Star ,  a  periodical  never 
suspended  since.  He  organized  a  number  of  flourishing 


60  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

churches,  and  early  in  1841  returned  to  Nauvoo,  bring¬ 
ing  with  him  seven  hundred  and  sixty-nine  converts. 
Shortly  before  this  time,  Sidney  Rigdon  had  addressed 
a  memorial  to  the  Legislature  of  the  State  of  Pennsyl¬ 
vania,  praying  for  redress  for  the  alleged  losses  of  the 
Saints  in  Missouri,  and  calling  upon  the  Congressional 
delegation  from  that  State  to  move  the  General  Govern¬ 
ment  in  their  behalf;  and  in  October,  1839,  Joseph 
Smith,  Sidney  Rigdon,  Elias  Higbee  and  Orrin  Porter 
Rockwell  set  out  for  Washington,  delegated  to  seek 
redress.  They  reached  the  Capital,  November  the  28th, 
and  were  admitted  forthwith  to  an  audience  with  Presi¬ 
dent  Van  Buren,  who  heard  them  through,  and,  accord¬ 
ing  to  their  report,  replied,  61  Gentlemen,  your  cause  is 
just,  but  I  can  do  nothing  for  you,”  adding,  in  under¬ 
tone,  “  I  should  lose  the  vote  of  the  State  of  Missouri.” 
By  his  own  account  this  last  remark  was,  “  The  Gene¬ 
ral  Government  cannot  interfere  in  the  domestic  con¬ 
cerns  of  Missouri.”  Nothing  resulted  from  either 
application ;  but  the  attention  of  the  country  was 
attracted  to  Nauvoo.  The  rapid  growth  of  the  city 
excited  the  wonder  of  eastern  people,  and  numerous 
curiosity  hunters,  correspondents  and  tourists  hastened 
to  visit  it.  They  were  treated  with  extreme  complais¬ 
ance,  and  in  their  reports  the  city  lost  nothing  of  its 
wonders.  In  October,  1840,  a  petition  with  many 
thousand  names  was  forwarded  for  an  Act  of  Incorpo¬ 
ration  for  Nauvoo,  and  about  the  same  time  Joe  Smith 
had  another  revelation  that  the  Temple  must  be  com¬ 
menced  at  once,  and  ground  was  broken  therefor  Octo¬ 
ber  the  3d.  The  sudden  and  surprising  prosperity  of 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


61 


the  sect  attracted  to  them  a  number  of  ambitious  and 
unscrupulous  men,  of  whom  four  deserve  particular 
notice. 

Dr.  Isaac  Galland,  was,  in  the  early  part  of  his  life, 
a  notorious  horse-thief  and  counterfeiter,  belonging  to 
the  “  Massac  Gang,”  as  it  was  called,  on  the  Ohio 
river.  He  had  then  nominally  reformed  and  moved 
into  Hancock  County,  where  he  was  in  1834,  a  candi¬ 
date  for  the  Legislature,  but  was  defeated  by  a  small 
majority.  Soon  after,  he  came  into  possession  of  a 
large  tract  of  land,  and  induced  Joe  Smith  to  settle 
on  a  part  with  a  view  to  enhancing  the  value  of  the 
rest. 

Jacob  Backinstos  came  to  Hancock  from  Sangamon 
County,  where  he  had  got  credit  for  a  stock  of  goods, 
sold  them,  and  defrauded  his  creditors ;  after  which  he 
came  over  to  the  Mormons  seeking  his  fortunes.  His 
brother  married  a  niece  of  Joe  Smith,  but  Backinstos 
held  off  and  took  rank  as  a  “  managing  Democrat,”  a 
sort  of  local  politician.  In  this  capacity  he  rendered 
some  service  to  Judge  Stephen  A.  Douglas,  who,  in 
turn,  appointed  him  Clerk  of  the  Hancock  Circuit 
Court,  this  giving  him  great  political  power  with  the 
Mormons.  By  them  he  was  at  different  times  elected 
Sheriff  and  member  of  the  Legislature,  and  continued  a 
“  Jack  Mormon”  to  the  end  of  the  chapter. 

66  General”  James  Arlington  Bennett  was  an  ad¬ 
venturer  of  some  talent,  whose  “  range  ”  was  from 
Virginia  to  New  York  City,  where  he  had  an  occa¬ 
sional  connection  with  the  press.  He  early  wrote  to 
Joe  Smith,  proposing  a  religious  and  political  alliance, 


62  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

adding,  with  refreshing  candor,  “You  know  Moham¬ 
med  had  his  right  hand  man.”  Joe  replied  in  a  tone 
of  good  humored  sarcasm,  adding,  however,  a  sort  of 
offer  for  Bennett  to  visit  Nauvoo. 

The  latter  came  soon  after,  and  was  baptized  into  the 
church,  but  not  being  trusted  to  the  extent  he  desired, 
soon  departed. 

*  Dr.  John  C.  Bennett  was  usually  considered  “one 
of  the  greatest  scamps  in  the  Western  country.”  He 
was  a  man  of  real  talent,  some  ambition,  overbearing 
zeal,  and  all  engrossing  lust ;  at  the  same  time  rather 
good  looking,  of  smooth  manners  and  easy  address. 
Besides  being  a  medical  graduate  and  practising  physi¬ 
cian,  he  had  acquired  considerable  military  and  engi¬ 
neering  skill,  and  had  been  Adjutant  General  of  the 
State  of  Illinois.  He  now  brought  his  talents  and 
rascality  to  an  alliance  with  J oe  Smith ;  for  a  year  and 
a-half  he  was  his  intimate  friend  and  trusted  coun¬ 
selor,  when,  as  has  often  happened  before,  a  beautiful 
woman  set  them  at  outs,  and  forever  put  an  end  to 
this  touching  friendship.  These,  and  a  score  of  others 
of  like  character,  attached  themselves  to  the  rising  sect 
and  became  Joe  Smith’s  unscrupulous  tools  and  allies. 
As  for  the  common  Saints,  the  pliable  mass,  though 
not  nearly  so  foolish  and  fanatical  as  in  Jackson  County, 
they  were  quite  as  obsequious  and  worked  steadily  to 
build  up  the  material  interests  of  “  Zion.” 

The  missions  in  England,  Wales  and  Scotland,  pros¬ 
pered  greatly,  and  many  thousands  of  foreign  Saints 
arrived  in  Nauvoo;  some  remained,  but  the  majority 
were  scattered  in  settlements  through  the  country, 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


63 


which  the  Prophet  called  “  Stakes  of  Zion.”  They 
were  not  to  rival  the  great  city,  but  to  be  its  feeders 
and  tributaries.  The  swamp  land  adjacent  to  Nauvoo 
was  drained,  and  the  site  rendered  quite  healthy ;  the 
rapids  were  surveyed  by  J.  C.  Bennett,  and  a  wing 
dam  projected  which  was  to  make  a  commodious  har¬ 
bor  in  front  of  Nauvoo,  and  secure  driving  power  suffi¬ 
cient  to  turn  all  the  factory  wheels  of  a  vast  commercial 
city. 

These  were  the  palmy  days  of  Joe  Smith;  this  was 
the  “  Golden  as;e  ”  of  Mormonism.  The  former  was  no 
more  the  wandering  lad,  with  “  peep-stone  ”  and  hazel 
rod,  or  the  fugitive  vagabond  fleeing  from  Missouri 
rifles ;  he  was  at  the  head  of  a  now  consolidated  and 
rapidly  augmenting  sect;  he  was  courted  and  flattered 
of  politicians ;  he  was  absolute  ruler  and  main  proprie¬ 
tor  of  a  city  already  populous,  and  destined  to  be  rich 
and  powerful.  Bright  visions  of  future  aggrandizement 
and  wealth  floated  through  his  brain,  and  he  confidently 
looked  forward  to  the  time  when  he  should  be  virtual 
dictator  of  a  powerful  State.  But  into  the  very  noon 
of  this  halcyon  day  floated  the  faint  rumbling  of  a  dis¬ 
tant  earthquake,  and  afar  upon  the  political  and  social 
horizon  appeared  a  little  cloud,  “no  bigger  than  a  man’s 
hand,”  which  stayed  not  till  it  darkened  the  whole 
heaven  of  the  future,  and  dashed  this  proud  fabric  to 
the  ground. 

There  now  devolves  upon  me  the  narration  of  a 
change  in  public  sentiment,  swift  and  violent,  almost 
without  parallel  in  America ;  and  the  reader  will  learn 
with  surprise  that  in  a  brief  period  hatred  took  the  place 


64'  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

of  friendship,  and  the  same  people  who  had  received  the 
Mormons  with  gladness  were,  in  hot  haste  to  drive  them 
out  at  the  bayonet’s  point.  The  consideration  of  what 
caused  this  unprecedented  change  in  public  sentiment, 
and  the  intense  hatred  against  the  Mormons,  presents 
some  points  of  pertinent  inquiry  to  politicians,  and  per¬ 
haps  some  lessons  to  religious  sects.  The  various 
causes  which  led  to  the  Mormon  troubles  in  Illinois, 
and  their  final  expulsion,  may  be  grouped  under  three 
heads : 

I.  Criminal.  II.  Moral  and  Social.  III.  Political. 

I.  In  the  first,  it  may  well  be  said,  the  Mormons 
were  destined  to  experience,  in  all  its  bitterness,  the 
force  of  the  homely  adage  in  regard  to  giving  a  dog  a 
bad  name.  The  Mississippi  Valley,  from  St.  Louis  to 
Galena,  had  been  for  years  unusually  infested  with 
reckless  and  blood-stained  men.  The  whole  of  south¬ 
eastern  Iowa  and  much  of  northeastern  Missouri  was 
in  a  comparatively  wild  and  lawless  state ;  the  u  half- 
breed”  tract  of  the  former,  from  unsettled  land  titles 
and  other  causes,  was  appropriated  as  a  refuge  for  and 
overrun  by  coiners,  horse-thieves  and  robbers ;  and  the 
latter  section,  adjacent,  was  little  if  any  better.  The 
law  was  enforced  with  slackness,  or  the  combination  of 
rogues  was  too  great  for  the  ordinary  machinery  of  jus¬ 
tice;  people  had  but  little  confidence  in  courts  and 
juries,  and,  in  more  atrocious  cases  than  common,  sat¬ 
isfied  themselves  with  lynch  law. 

The  islands  and  groves  farther  up  the  river,  near 
Davenport  and  Rock  Island,  were  the  hiding  places  of 
regularly  organized  bands  of  marauders;  as  also  were 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


65 


the  bayous  and  hollows  west  of  Nauvoo.  The  writer 
was  but  a  boy,  but  remembers  well  the  thrills  of  horror 
that  ran  through  the  West  at  the  murder  of  Miller  and 
Liecy  in  Lee  County,  Iowa,  of  Col.  Davenport  at  Rock 
Island,  of  an  entire  family  of  five  persons  in  Adams 
County,  and  others  too  numerous  to  mention.  •  Long 
afterwards,  while  the  writer  was  travelling  through 
Hancock,  Pike,  and  Adams  counties,  no  family  thought 
of  retiring  at  night  without  barring  and  double-locking 
every  ingress ;  and  the  names  of  John  Long,  Aaron 
Long,  Granville  Young,  Robert  Birch,  the  Hodges  and 
Foxes,  and  dozens  of  other  murderers,  were  as  common 
as  household  words. 

To  all  that  class  the  bad  name  given  the  Mormons 
in  Missouri  was  so  much  capital,  and  it  gathered  around 
them,  with  the  real  vulture  instinct.  Hundreds  of  li¬ 
centious  villains,  cut  throats,  and  robbers  made  their  way 
into  Nauvoo,  were  baptized  into  the  Church  as  a  con¬ 
venient  cover  for  their  crimes,  and  made  that  their 
secret  headquarters.  Property  stolen  far  up  the  river, 
or  east  of  the  city,  was  run  through  and  concealed  in 
the  western  bayous,  or  hastily  disposed  of  to  innocent 
purchasers,  so  that  the  owners  generally  found  it  among 
the  Mormons.  The  criminals  were,  in  many  instances, 
traced  directly  to  Nauvoo  ;  but  once  within  the  charmed 
circle,  all  power  to  punish  them  was  gone. 

Their  secret  confederates  were  ready  to  “swear  ”  them 
clear,  and  too  often  the  cry  of  “  persecution  ”  was  suf¬ 
ficient  to  mislead  really  honest  Mormons,  and  cause 
them  to  defend  one  who,  though  really  guilty,  claimed 
the  name  of  a  Saint.  Thus,  while  the  Mormons  could 
5 


66  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

truly  say  there  was  less  crime  in  Nauvoo  than  in  most 
other  cities  of  its  size,  it  was  still  true  that  more  crimi¬ 
nals  issued  thence  than  from  any  other. 

How  many  of  the  real  Mormons  were  concerned  in 
these  depredations  it  is  impossible  to  say,  probably  very 
few  ;  but  the  fact  remained  that  the  criminals  had  most 
of  them  assumed  the  name  of  Mormons,  that  they  were 
not  thrust  out  and  punished,  and  that  the  really  inno¬ 
cent  portion  obstinately  refused  to  entertain  any  charge 
against  the  guilty,  making  the  Church  a  complete  cover 
and  exemption  for  crime.  An  angry  people  could  not 
be  expected  to  go  into  their  city  and  discriminate 
between  them ;  they  struck  blindly  at  the  whole  com¬ 
munity,  and  thus  while  two-tliirds  of  them  were  proba¬ 
bly  guiltless  of  crime,  all  suffered  alike.  In  the  outer 
settlements  there  was  actual  cause  to  complain  of  the 
foreign  Saints ;  thousands  of  them  had  66  gathered  ”  in 
great  haste  and  extreme  poverty  ;  they  had  nothing,  and 
knew  not  how  to  rapidly  accommodate  themselves  to 
their  new  pursuits,  and  at  the  same  time  very  naturally 
refused  to  starve  in  a  plentiful  country. 

Their  doctrines  virtually  invited  them  to  take  what 
they  needed,  and  they  did. 

As  to  the  heads  of  the  Church  and  their  newly-ac¬ 
quired  allies,  enough  has  been  said  to  show  that  much 
of  their  conduct  was  on  the  very  border-line  of  rascal¬ 
ity,  if  it  did  not  altogether  step  over  it. 

II.  Of  the  second  class  of  causes,  but  little  need  be 
added  to  the  history  of  polygamy,  to  be  more  fully  re¬ 
cited  hereafter.  Of  the  ten  thousand  intrigues  of  Smith, 
Bennett,  Rigdon  and  other  leaders,  it  is  useless  to  speak, 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


67 


except  to  give  their  public  results.  While  the  estab¬ 
lished  denominations  of  Illinois  were  threatened,  and 
her  political  stability  endangered,  her  people  were  also 
shocked  by  the  introduction  of  riew,  and  to  them,  re¬ 
volting  vices. 

III.  But  the  great  cause  of  popular  hostility,  which 
finally  led  to  the  worst  result,  was  the  Mormon  system 
of  voting  solidly,  at  the  dictation  of  a  few  men. 

They  have  always  insisted  on  this  principle,  pretend¬ 
ing  that  there  would  be  no  union  in  their  Church,  if  the 
members  were  allowed  to  vote  by  individual  will.  Such 
a  course  must  ever  have  one  effect,  to  cause  the  Church 
to  be  regarded  as  a  mere  political  entity,  to  be  fought 
accordingly,  and  in  time,  arouse  the  fiercest  opposition. 
It  will  hardly  do  to  say  no  church  has  a  right  to  so  di¬ 
rect  its  vote,  and  yet,  if  persisted  in,  it  must  be  a  con¬ 
stant  source  of  faction.  Any  such  church  would  con¬ 
stitute  a  dangerous  power  in  a  republican  government ; 
and  would  soon  have  arrayed  against  it  all  those  who 
were  defeated  by  its  vote,  all  who  failed  to  get  its  sup¬ 
port,  all  who  disdained  to  stoop  to  the  arts  necessary  to 
obtain  it,  and  all  those  who  clearly  saw  the  evil  tendency 
of  such  a  system.  In  two  years  after  he  entered  Illi¬ 
nois,  Joe  Smith  was  absolute  master  of  three  thousand 
votes ;  practically,  he  might  just  as  well  have  been  al¬ 
lowed  to  cast  so  many  himself.  The  offices  of  the 
county  were  in  his  gift ;  no  man  could  hope  to  reach 
Congress  from  that  district,  without  his  favor,  and  it  was 
highly  probable,  that  by  the  next  election,  his  simple 
will  would  determine  who  should  be  Governor  of  the 
State. 


68  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

Such  power  in  the  hands  of  a  corrupt  man,  used  with 
a  singular  perfidy  and  in  the  interests  of  the  worst 
clique  ever  assembled,  would  alone  be  almost  sufficient 
to  determine  the  people  upon  the  expulsion  of  him  and 
his  fanatical  sect.  The  particular  situation,  at  the  time, 
rendered  this  evil  ten-fold  more  apparent.  For  the  first 
time  since  its  organization,  the  Whig  Party  had  a  fair 
prospect  of  carrying  the  State  and  the  nation ;  but 
Illinois  was  doubtful. 

If  Henry  Clay  should  again  be  the  nominee  of  the 
Whigs,  Kentucky,  Louisiana  and  other  Southern  States 
were  considered  certain  for  that  party,  and,  in  certain 
very  probable  contingencies,  Illinois  would  turn  the 
scale  one  way  or  the  other.  It  was  quite  certain  the 
Mormons  would,  by  1844,  give  the  casting  vote  in  Illi¬ 
nois,  and  Joe  Smith  had  perfect  control  of  the  Mormon 
vote.  Such  contingencies  are  liable  to  frequently  occur 
in  our  politics,  and  henceforth  set  it  down  as  an  Amer¬ 
ican  axiom,  that  any  church  assuming  to  cast  its  vote 
as  a  unit,  for  its  own  interests,  under  the  dictation  of  its 
spiritual  head  or  heads,  is  the  deadly  foe  of  our  liberties, 
and  justly  an  object  of  distrust  and  dislike  to  every 
lover  of  his  country.  With  this  digression,  I  resume 
the  thread  of  history. 

The  “  Harrison  Campaign”  of  1840  was  in  full  tide, 
and  the  politicians  gathered  thick  around  Joe  Smith. 
His  people  had  been  driven  from  a  Democratic  State 
by  order  of  a  Democratic  Governor,  and  himself  denied 
redress  by  a  Democratic  President ;  while  his  “  memo¬ 
rial  ”  against  Missouri  had  been  introduced  and  counte¬ 
nanced  in  the  Senate  of  the  United*  States  by  Henry 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


69 


Clay,  and  in  the  House  by  John  F.  Stuart,  both 
Whigs. 

He  felt  friendly  to  them,  but  finding  he  had  great 
power,  determined  to  use  it  well  and  took  gobd  care 
not  to  commit  himself.  When  wined,  dined,  toasted, 
and  feasted  by  managers  of  both  parties,  he  stated  in 
general  terms  that  he  felt  no  particular  interest  in 
politics;  he  had  tried  the  Yankees  of  New  York,  and 
the  “free  soilers”  of  the  Western  Beserve,  and  had 
met  with  rough  treatment ;  he  had  gone  thence  to  the 
pro-slavery  Missourians,  and  had  met  with  rougher  treat¬ 
ment  ;  the  Democrats  had  robbed  him,  and  the  Whigs 
refused  him  redress,  and  he  had  little  confidence  in  either. 

But  there  were  certain  things  absolutely  necessary 
for  his  city  to  receive  from  the  Legislature,  to  protect 
him  and  his  people  from  mobs,  and  the  party  that 
could  most  certainly  give  him  these  would  obtain  his 
support.  This  cheerful  frankness  was  met  by  renewed 
protestations  of  respect  and  good-will,  and  both  parties 
were  eager  to  grant  him  favors. 

After  secret  consultation  with  his  counselors  at 
Nauvoo,  Joe  had  a  revelation  to  support  the  Whig 
ticket,  which  the  Mormons  did  unanimously  in  1840 
and  ’41.  In  the  Legislature  of  ’40-41,  it  became  an 
object  with  the  Democrats  to  conciliate  them,  and  at 
that  session  Dr.  J.  C.  Bennett  came  with  a  charter, 
mainly  drawn  up  by  himself  and  Joe  Smith,  for  the 
incorporation  of  Nauvoo.  The  charter  was  referred  to 
the  Judiciary  Committee  who  reported  favorably,  the 
ayes  and  noes  were  called  in  neither  house,  and  the 
charter  passed  without  a  dissenting  vote. 


70  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

The  annals  of  ancient  and  modern  legislation  might 
be  searched  in  vain  for  a  parallel  to  that  Nauvoo 
Charter.  It  gave  all  the  powers  ever  granted  to  in¬ 
corporated  cities,  and  gave  them  power  to  pass  all  laws 
“  not  repugnant  to  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States , 
or  of  this  State,”  which  was  afterwards  interpreted  to 
mean  that  they  might  pass  local  ordinances  contrary  to 
the  laws  of  the  State.  It  provided  for  a  Mayor,  four 
Aldermen,  and  nine  Councillors,  and  established  a 
Mayor’s  Court  with  exclusive  jurisdiction  of  all  cases 
arising  under  the  city  ordinances. 

It  also  established  a  Municipal  Court,  to  be  com¬ 
posed  of  the  Mayor  as  Chief  Justice,  and  four  Aider- 
men  as  associates,  and  gave  this  court  the  power  to 
issue  writs  of  Habeas  Corpus .  And  this  not  only  to 
try  the  sufficiency  of  writs  issuing  from -any  other  court, 
which  is  a  power  rarely  granted  a  Municipal  Court, 
but  to  go  beyond  that  and  try  the  original  cause  of 
action.  Hitherto  none  but  Judges  of  the  Supreme  and 
Circuit  Courts  could  issue  such  writs,  and  there  were 
just  nine  persons  in  the  State  empowered  to  do  so ; 
but  this  Act  at  one  fell  swoop  conferred  it  upon  the 
five  judges  of  this  Municipal  Court,  and  those  the  per¬ 
sons  above  all  others  most  liable  to  abuse  it.  It  also 
incorporated  the  militia  of  Nauvoo  into  a  body  to  be 
called  the  “Nauvoo  Legion,”  independent  of  all  other 
militia  officers  in  the  State,  except  the  Governor  as 
Commander-in-Chief.  It  established  a  court-martial  for 
this  Legion  composed  of  the  commissioned  officers,  en¬ 
tirely  independent  of  all  other  officers,  and  in  the 
regulations  not  governed  by  the  laws  of  the  State  ! 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM.  71 

f 

This  Legion  was  to  be  at  the  disposal  of  the  Mayor 
in  executing  the  ordinances  of  the  city.  Another 
charter  incorporated  a  great  tavern  to  be  known  as  the 
Nauvoo  House.  “  Thus,”  says  Governor  Ford,  “  it  was 
proposed  to  re-establish  for  the  Mormons  a  government 
within  a  government;  a  legislature  with  power  to  pass 
ordinances  at  war  with  the  laws  of  the  State ;  courts 
to  execute  them  with  but  little  dependence  upon  the 
constitutional  judiciary,  and  a  military  force  at  their 
own  command,  to  be  governed  by  its  own  laws  and 
ordinances,  and  subject  to  no  State  authority  but  that 
of  the  Governor. 

“  The  powers  conferred  were  expressed  in  language 
at  once  ambiguous  and  undefined  ;  as  if  on  purpose  to 
allow  of  misconstruction.  The  great  law  of  the  'sep¬ 
aration  of  the  powers  of  government  was  wholly  dis¬ 
regarded.  The  Mayor  was  at  once  the  executive  power, 
the  judiciary,  and  part  of  the  legislature.  The  Com¬ 
mon  Council,  in  passing  ordinances,  were  restrained 
only  by  the  Constitution.  One  would  have  thought 
that  these  charters  stood  a  poor  chance  of  passing  the 
Legislature  of  a  republican  people  jealous  of  their  liber¬ 
ties.  Nevertheless  they  did  pass  unanimously  through 
both  houses.  Messrs.  Little  and  Douglas  managed  with 
great  dexterity  with  their  respective  parties.  Each 
party  was  afraid  to  object  to  them,  for  fear  of  losing 
the  Mormon  vote,  and  each  believed  that  it  had  secured 
their  favor.  A  city  government,  under  the  charter,  was 
organized  in  1841,  and  Joe  Smith  was  elected  Mayor. 

“In  this  capacity  he  presided  in  the  Common  Council, 
and  assisted  in  making  the  laws  for  the  government  of 


72  LIFE  IN  UTAH  ;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

the  city ;  and  as  Mayor,  also,  he  was  to  see  these  laws 
put  into  force.  He  was  ex-officio  judge  of  the.  Mayors 
Court,  and  chief  justice  of  the  Municipal  Court,  and  in 
these  capacities  he  was  to  interpret  the  laws  which  he 
had  assisted  to  make.  The  Nauvoo  Legion  was  also 
organized,  with  a  great  multitude  of  high  officers.  It 
was  divided  into  divisions,  brigades,  cohorts,  regiments, 
battalions  and  companies.  Each  division,  brigade  and 
cohort  had  its  General,  and  over  the  whole,  as  Com- 
mander-in-Chief,  Joe  Smith  was  appointed  Lieutenant- 
General.  These  offices,  and  particularly  the  last,  were 
created  by  an  ordinance  of  the  Court-martial  composed 
of  the  commissioned  officers  of  the  Legion. 

“  The  Common  Council  passed  many  ordinances  for 
the  punishment  of  crime.  The  punishments  were  gen¬ 
erally  different  from,  and  vastly  more  severe  than  the 
punishments  provided  by  the  laws  of  the  State.” 

Elder  Howard  Coray,  who  was  at  that  time  a  confi¬ 
dential  clerk  of  Joe  Smith’s,  states  that  he  was  present 
at  the  time  Smith  and  Bennett  were  constructing  this 
Charter;  that  Bennett  objected  to  certain  clauses  as 
being  “too  strong,”  to  which  Smith  replied,  “We  must 
have  that  power  in  our  courts,  for  this  work  will  gather 
of  all  mankind ;  the  Turk,  with  his  ten  wives ,  will  come 
to  Nauvoo,  and  we  must  have  laws  to  protect  him  with 
these  wives.”  Elder  Coray,  now  a  devoted  Brighamite, 
at  Salt  Lake,  advanced  this  to  disprove  the  statement 
of  J oe  Smith’s  sons  that  their  father  did  not  establish 
polygamy.  It  merely  proves,  as  will  hereafter  be 
shown,  that  he  was  in  that  practice  long  before  the 
date  of  his  pretended  revelation. 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


73 


It  was,  indeed,  necessary  for  him  to  fence  out  the 
Missourians  with  strong  ordinances,  for  his  old  enemies 
in  that  State  were  busy  in  schemes  against  him.  In 
the  fall  of  1841,  the  Governor  sent  a  requisition  to 
Illinois  for  Smith’s  arrest,  and  after  some  evasion  it  was 
executed.  A  writ  of  Habeas  Corpus  was  sued  out  be¬ 
fore  Judge  S.  A.  Douglas,  whose  circuit  embraced  Han¬ 
cock.  On  technical  grounds  Douglas  released  Smith, 
which  the  latter  considered  a  great  favor  from  the 
Democrats.  Again,  in  1842,  Smith  was  arrested  on  a 
requisition,  and  this  time  forcibly  rescued  by  his  follow¬ 
ers.  The  election  of  1842  was  approaching;  the 
Whigs  nominated  Joseph  Duncan  for  Governor,  and  the 
Democrats  Thos.  L.  Ford.  After  an  immense  amount 
of  wire  pulling,  Joe  Smith  issued  a  proclamation  to  his 
people — there  seems  to  have  been  no  revelation  this 
time — pronouncing  “  Judge  Douglas  a  master-spirit,” 
and  commanding  the  people  to  vote  the  Democratic 
ticket.  Ford  was  elected,  and  assumed  the  duties  of 
Governor,  late  in  1842.  He  has  embodied  the  official 
acts  of  his  Administration  in  his  “  History  of  Illinois,” 
and  throughout  this  part  of  my  narrative  the  quotations 
are  from  that  work,  unless  otherwise  credited. 

« 

The  Democrats  would  almost  certainly  have  carried 
the  State  without  the  Mormons;  but  in  1843,  there 
was  to  be  an  election  for  Congressman  in  their  district, 
and  therein  they  were  absolute.  But  the  great  reaction 
had  set  in,  and  the  Mormons  were  fast  becoming  odious 
to  the  body  of  the  people.  After  the  political  account, 
the  reader  will  be  interested  in  the  anti-Mormon  ac¬ 
count,  and  I  quote  from  the  narrative  of  R.  W. 


74  LIFE  IN  UTAH  j  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

McKinney,  Esq.,  before  alluded  to,  a  witness  of  the 
facts  : 

“  The  preaching  of  Mormonisra  was  a  greater  success 
than  could  have  been  reasonably  expected  in  so  en¬ 
lightened  an  age,  and  one  to  a  great  extent  inclined  tc 
skepticism.  A  new  spirit  of  emigration  was  excited, 
and  every  convert  was  urged  to  hasten  to  where  he 
could  gaze  upon  the  divine  face  of  the  Prophet,  and 
where  the  wealth  of  the  Gentile  world  would  flow  in 
iqoon  them.  Two  years  had  not  elapsed  since  the  first 
fugitives  arrived  at  Nauvoo  before  the  Mormons  out- 
numbered  the  old  settlers.  The  latter  began  to  think 
they  had  enough  for  the  present.  None  of  the  prom¬ 
ised  advantages  had  accrued  from  the  settlement  of  the 
Mormons  among  them.  They  had  created  but  little 
trade  or  commerce,  had  made  no  improvement  of  the 
rapids,  had  established  no  manufactories,  erected  no 
school-houses,  organized  no  institutions  for  instruction, 
and  made  no  provision  for  the  support  of  the  poor. 
They  were  pressed  into  Joe’s  service,  and  employed 
upon  the  erection  of  a  temple  of  an  order  of  architecture 
such  as  the  world  had  never  seen.  They  now  assumed 
a  haughty  bearing  and  arrogant  speech  towards  their 
'old  friends  and  protectors,  and  the  latter  were  constantly 
sneered  at  as  blind  and  erring  Gentiles,  whose  steps 
were  tending  downward  to  the  deepest  pit  of  hell.  The 
Saints  were  to  possess  the  earth  and  the  Gentiles  be 
crushed  beneath  their  footsteps.  This  doctrine  had  a 
•  fearful  effect  upon  the  common  Mormon ;  he  looked 
upon  the  old  settler  much  as  the  followers  of  Moses  and 
Joshua  looked  upon  the  Canaanites.  If  the  earth  was 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


75 


to  be  delivered  to  the  Saints  with  the  fullness  thereof, 
why  not  take  possession  at  once,  or  so  much  of  it  as  to 
supply  present  wants  ?  The  old  settlers  began  to  feel 
that  the  inflated  declarations  of  the  Prophet  meant 
something  more  than  idle  gasconade.  Their  cattle, 
which  had  pastured  safely  on  the  broad  prairies,  now 
failed  to  come  up ;  their  poultry  took  wings  and  flew 
away  to  some  undiscovered  country,  never  to  return, 
and  their  barns  and  granaries  were  .depleted  with  un¬ 
heard  of  rapidity.  If  one  visited  Nauvoo  in  search  of 
estrays,  if  by  accident  he  peeped  into  the  shambles  or 
slaughter-pens  of  the  Saints,  he  was  rudely  rebuffed  as 
a  disturber  of  the  peace  of  Zion.  He  was  fortunate  if 
he  escaped  arrest,  and  did  not  often  escape  annoyance. 
The  Mormons  prided  themselves  on  their  genius  in  de¬ 
vising  modes  of  annoyance  by  which  a  suspicious  stran¬ 
ger  could  be  driven  away  without  resort  to  violence ; 
the  Prophet  had  systemized  annoyance,  and  reduced  it 
to  a  science.  He  had  organized  clubs  of  loafers  and 
boys  into  what  he  called  ‘whittling  deacons.’ 

“  They  were  composed  of  the  lowest  grade  of  vaga¬ 
bonds  in  Nauvoo,  and  were  stationed  around  the  streets 
and  corners,  armed  with  pieces  ot  pine  board  and 
sharp  dirk-knives,  always  ready  for  instant  service.  If 
a  stranger  were  seen  on  the  streets,  the  first  thing  was 
to  find  out  if  he  were  obnoxious.  An  experienced  spy 
was  placed  upon  his  track,  who  followed  him  until  it 
was  ascertained  what  the  stranger  was.  If  he  appeared 
hostile  to  the  Saints,  if  he  spoke  disparagingly  of  the 
Prophet  or  his  religion,  6  the  whittling  deacons  ’  were 
put  at  his  heels. 


76  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

“  They  would  surround  him  with  pine  sticks  and 
dirk-knives,  and  whistling  gravely,  keep  up  a  continual 
whittling,  the  shavings  flying  into  the  face  and  over  the 
person  of  the  obnoxious  one,  and  the  sharp  knives  being 
flourished  dangerously  close  to  his  ears.  If  timid  and 
nervous  he  retreated  soon ;  but  if  he  faced  the  music, 
the  whittling  was  more  energetic,  the  whistling  louder 
and  shriller,  the  knives  approached  closer  and  flashed 
more  brightly,  till  his  retreat  was  a  necessity.  Strange 
that  a  person  who  claimed  to  be  commissioned  as  a 
Prophet,  could  have  authorized  such  low  and  disgrace¬ 
ful  work  ;  but  we  have  the  authority  of  the  Saints  that 
it  was  Joe  Smith’s  own  invention,  and  was  considered 
a  brilliant  stroke  of  genius.  If  the  suspected  person 
was  contumacious  and  stood  out  against  the  ‘  whittling 
deacons,’  his  case  was  referred  to  a  higher  tribunal,  the 
6  Danite  Band.’  The  ‘  whittling  deacons  ’  were  com¬ 
posed  of  Saintly  loafers,  this  of  Saintly  ruffians.  Many 
of  them  were  outlaws,  criminals  who  had  fled  from  jus¬ 
tice  and  who  sought  and  received  protection  from  Joe. 
No  man  was  too  deeply  stained  with  crime  to  gain  that 
protection,  if  the  Prophet  could  use  him.  If  a  fugitive 
from  justice  proved  a  worthless  and  inefficient  tool,  he 
was  given  up  with  a  great  flourish  of  trumpets,  and 
with  glowing  comments  by  the  newspaper  press  as  to 
what  an  orderly  and  law  abiding  people  the  Mormons 
were. 

“  Who  ever  heard  of  Joe  Smith  giving  up  Porter 
Rockwell,  or  that  he  ever  lost  any  respect  on  account 
of  his  crimes.  This  lawless  banditti  went  after  the 
contumacious  stranger  with  bowie-knives  and  Colt’s  re- 


,  ■  ■  ; 

- i  •'?*  •  •  ■; .  ’  ■ 

i 


;  ■. 


I'  §;’<:  tV  . 


'  ■..*  ■  * 


•  .  ■  ••  ■ 

:  ' 

-  t 


I 


<1  LIEUTENANT-GENERAL’ ’  JOSEPH  SMITH  REVIEWING  THE  NATTVOO  LEGION. 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


77 


volvers.  Their  business  was  to  terrify  and  insult  him, 
to  salute  liis  ears  with  strange  oaths  and  blasphemies, 
to  menace  him  with  threats  of  instant  death  and  to 
flourish  their  deadly  weapons  in  his  face.  But  were 
there  no  police  to  appeal  to  ?  These  assailants  were 
themselves  the  police,  powerful  only  for  evil.  If  the 
suspected  was  still  fool-hardy  enough  to  refuse  to  leave, 
his  case  was  reported  to  a  higher  tribunal,  who  gave 
secret  and  mysterious  warnings,  written  in  mystic  char¬ 
acters  and  stained  with  blood,  which  were  dropped  in 
the  way  of  the  suspected,  were  found  in  his  bed-room, 
under  his  pillow  or  about  his  person.  Dire  was  his  fate 
if  he  disregarded  this  last  solemn  admonition.  He 
would  never  again  be  heard  from  •  the  mission  of  the 
‘  destroying  angel 5  was  sudden,  sure  and  complete. 

66  The  Prophet’s  ambition  and  love  of  display  had  been 
sated  by  a  shower  of  civic  honors  thrust  upon  him  by 
the  Corporation  Act.  66  His  love  of  power  and  desire 
for  vengeance  were  gratified  by  a  review  of  his  solid 
squares  of  infantry,  his  squadrons  of  cavalry  and 
parks  of  artillery.  He  was  the  only  man  of  his  age 
beneath  the  rank  of  Grand  Duke,  that  could  summon 
a  well-equipped  army  from  his  retainers.  But  he 
had  other  vices  to  gratify  besides  ambition  and  love  of 
display. 

“  How  to  gratify  his  licentious  desires  became  with 
him  a  great  study.  To  overcome  the  virtue  of  his  fe¬ 
male  followers  and  establish  prostitution  as  a  religious 
rite,  he  had  a  revelation.  None  of  his  compeers  or  suc¬ 
cessors  could  compete  with  him  in  revelations.  His  son 
Joe,  who  claims  to  be  his  legitimate  successor,  has  been 


78  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

so  reticent  as  to  receive  from  the  Brighamites,  and  de¬ 
serve,  the  title  of  the  ‘  dumb  Prophet.’  The  elder  Joe, 
had  revelations  on  all  sorts  of  subjects;  building  houses, 
plowing  lands  and  selling  merchandise,  and  now  author¬ 
izing  him  to  seduce  and  degrade  his  female  devotees. 
His  elders  were  now  instructed  that  the  time  had  arrived 
when  seven  women  should  take  hold  of  one  man ;  that 
no  woman  could  be  saved  unless  united  to  a  husband  in 
a  spiritual  sense ;  that  such  union  was  enjoined  by  di¬ 
vine  authority,  and  to  resist  it  was  to  resist  the  ordinance 
of  God.  Here  was  the  dilemma  for  the  female  Saint: 
she  must  succumb  to  a  libidinous  priest,  or  be  sent  to 
perdition ;  she  must  accept  prostitution  or  damnation, 
and  there  was  no  escape.  It  was  at  first  claimed  that 
this  connection  was  purely  spiritual  and  platonic ;  but 
the  admissions  of  incautious  Saints,  and  the  testimony 
of  many  women,  soon  left  no  doubt  in  any  intelligent 
mind  that  the  system  was  one  of  complete  concubinage. 

“  The  two  young  Smiths,  who  lately  made  a  raid  into 
Utah,  denying  that  their  father  practiced  polygamy, 
ought  to  know,  as  every  intelligent  person  does  know, 
that  the  will  of  Joe  Smith  was  absolute  in  Nauvoo,  and 
all  the  councils,  sanhedrims  and  priests  in  the  city  could 
never  have  established  polygamy  there,  if  he  had  but 
shook  his  little  finger  in  opposition. 

“  The  Mormons  were  not  only  introducing  a  new 
religion,  but  striving  to  introduce  a  new  civilization; 
or  rather  laboring  to  abolish  all  civilization,  and  to  re¬ 
establish  a  barbarism  old  as  the  infancy  of  the  world. 
If  an  old  patriarch,  who  lived  immediately  after  the 
earth  emerged  from  the  deluge,  through  ignorance 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


79 


married  a  sister  or  an  aunt,  the  Mormon  assumed  the 
same  right.  If  another  patriarch  armed  his  numerous 
servants,  and  invaded  the  tented  city  of  a  rival,  carried 
his  wives  and  children  into  captivity,  and  drove  away 
his  sheep,  cattle  and  oxen,  it  was  a  divine  precedent 
which  the  Saint  would  do  well  to  follow.  As  in  those 
remote  ages  the  whole  people  labored  and  toiled  for 
the  aggrandizement  of  their  chieftain  in  erecting  castles 
for  his  protection,  or  guarding  the  flocks  and  herds  in 
which  his  wealth  consisted,  so  the  Mormon  chieftain 
employed  his  retainers  in  the  erection  of  a  gorgeous 
temple.  The  anti-Mormons  saw  that  the  Mormons 
were  industrious,  and  saw  too  that  much  of  their  labor 
was  misdirected,  and  that  they  derived  no  benefit  from 
it,  more  than  the  enslaved  multitudes  who  toiled  on 
the  Egyptian  pyramids  in  the  traditional  ages  of  the 
world.  They  saw  that  Hancock  County,  under  the 
control  of  the  dominant  sect,  was  receding  to  the  re¬ 
motest  and  most  barbarous  ages  of  the  world.  They 
farther  understood  that  the  multitudes  who  lived  in 
shanties,  and  worked  without  pay,  were  not  likely  to 
starve  as  long  as  they  were  taught  that  the  earth  and 
all  things  therein  belonged  to  the  Saints  of  the  Lord. 
It  was  thought  high  time  to  impose  some  barrier  to 
the  further  increase  of  the  dominant  Mormons.  No  one 
then  thought  of  violence  or  war ;  there  had  been  no 
lawless  demonstrations  prior  to  the  Mormons’  arrival, 
and  in  justice  to  the  old  settlers  it  should  be  noted 
there  has  been  none  since  their  expulsion.  Every  one 
considered  that  most  of  the  evils  resulted  from  the 
power  vested  in  the  Prophet  by  the  Mormon  Charter. 


80  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

and  the  creation  of  the  Legion.  It  was,  therefore, 
thought  best  to  constitute  a  new  political  organization, 
uniting  all  anti-Mormons  without  regard  to  previous 
predilections,  having  for  its  object  united  opposition  to 
the  Mormons,  and  repeal  of  all  the  Mormon  Charters 
and  disbanding  of  the  Nauvoo  Legion.  A  general 
mass-meeting  was  called,  and  was  fully  attended. 
Whigs  and  Democrats  fraternized  and  rivalled  each 
other  in  their  zeal  to  rid  the  country  of  the  growing 
incubus.  But  when  it  came  to  county  nominations, 
unfortunately  there  were  more  aspirants  than  offices. 
Those  who  received  nominations  were  content;  but 
the  rejected  ones  affected  to  consider  themselves  badly 
abused  men.  Among  them  were  two  who  went  right 
over  with  their  influence  to  Joe  Smith.  The  first  was 
a  Reverend  Thomas  Owens,  a  renegade  Baptist  preacher, 
and  the  other  Jacob  C.  Davis,  a  lawyer,  too  indolent 
to  labor  or  study,  but  the  political  oracle  of  the  red¬ 
eyed  loafers  who  congregated  together  in  the  low 
groggeries  of  the  town  where  he  lived.  This  brace 
of  worthies  wended  their  way  to  Nauvoo,  and  in¬ 
formed  the  Mormon  autocrat  of  the  combination 
against  him;  but  tendered  him  their  sympathy  and 
support,  offering  to  run  as  the  Mormon  candidates  for 
the  Legislature.  The  Prophet  chose  Jacob  Davis  as 
his  candidate  for  the  State  Senate,  and  Bill  Smith,  his 
own  brother,  and  Thomas  Owens,  his  candidates  for  the* 
Lower  House.  The  rest  of  the  county  ticket  was  filled 
out  by  the  Prophet  from  his  own  Mormon  tools. 

“The  issue  was  for  the  first  time  clearly  drawn,  the 
election  in  due  time  came  off,  and  the  Prophet  was 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


81 


MORMON  TEMPLE  AT  NATJYOO,  ILLINOIS. 


triumphant.  He  had  elected  everything  on  the  county 
ticket.  By  his  combinations  he  had  completely  de¬ 
feated  the  anti-Mormon  move,  and  had  for  county- 
officers  his  trusty  friends,  devoted  to  his  interests.  If 
his  enemies  chose  to  appeal  from  the  decision  of  the 
polls,  he  was  ready  for  them.  His  battalions  were 
models  of  discipline,  devoted  to  his  service,  numbered 
by  thousands,  and  armed  with  an  efficiency  which  dis¬ 
tinguished  no  other  troops  in  America.  The  walls  of 
the  Temple  were  progressing  rapidly.  The  anti-Mor¬ 
mons  looked  upon  the  structure  with  many  doubts  and 
apprehensions.  Everything  the  Mormons  did  was  veiled 
6 


82  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

in  mystery.  This  structure  resembled  no  church,  its 
walls  of  massive  limestone  were  impervious  to  the  shot 
of  the  heaviest  cannon.  It  had  two  tiers  of  circular 
windows  which  looked  to  the  wondering  Gentiles  very 
much  as  if  they  were  port-holes  for  the  manning  of 
cannon.  The  building  was  near  the  center  of  a  square 
of  four  acres,  to  be  surrounded  by  a  massive  wall  ten 
feet  in  height  and  six  in  thickness.  This,  the  Mor¬ 
mons  said,  was  for  a  promenade;  the  anti-Mormons 
would  have  told  you,  it  could  have  been  constructed  for 
no  other  purpose  than  a  fortification,  and  one  which 
would  have  stood  a  heavy  bombardment  without  being 
breached. 

“  Another  charter  provided  for  the  erection  of  ‘  a  large 
hotel,’  and  it  was  denominated  the  ‘  Lord’s  boarding 
house,’  to  which  a  revelation  is  added  that  Joe  Smith 
and  his  heirs  were  to  have  ‘a  suite  of  rooms  dedicated 
to  their  use  forever.’ 

“  It  was  the  boast  of  J oe  that  this  would  be  the 
great  4  Mission  House  ’  of  the  world ;  that  in  its  parlor 
he  would  entertain  princes,  kings  and  emperors  from 
Europe  and  Asia,  who  would  leave  their  distant  homes 
to  receive  information  and  instruction  from  him  in  the 
new  faith.  So  completely  had  Joe’s  head  been  turned 
and  so  wild  and  visionary  had  he  become,  that  it  was 
not  without  reason  that  his  wife,  only  a  few  years  after 
his  death,  published  a  statement  in  the  Quincy  Whig 
that  she  had  no  belief  in  his  prophetic  character,  and 
considered  his  pretended  revelations  the  emanations  of 
a  diseased  mind.  It  may  be  some  gratification  to  know 
that  the  apostolic  dignitaries  did  not  always  agree 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


83 


among  themselves,  after  the  establishment  of  ‘spiritual 
wifery,’  in  the  distribution  of  female  prizes.  They  had 
no  disputes  in  polemic  theology.  The  oracle  Joe  settled 
everything  of  that  sort  by  immediate  revelation.  But 
when  the  face  of  a  handsome  female  Saint  was  seen 
peering  from  under  the  curtains  of  an  immigrant  wagon, 
it  was  like  throwing  the  apple  of  discord  among  the 
lascivious  priests  of  the  new  religion ;  and  however 
submissive  the  sacred  college  may  have  been  to  the 
settlement  of  a  theological  tenet,  when  the  same  oracle 
pronounced  a  verdict  in  regard  to  a  female  prize  against 
one  of  them,  his  curses  were  loud  and  deep.  In  fact, 
this  system  was  soon  the  means  of  destroying  the  Mor¬ 
mon  unity  right  at  home ;  the  entering  wedge  that 
divided  Nauvoo  into  factions,  and  gave  the  anti-Mor¬ 
mons  a  clue  to  success. 

“  The  name  of  Cyrus  Walker  had  long  been  con¬ 
spicuous  in  western  Illinois.  He  was  an  eminent 
lawyer,  who  had  acquired  a  great  reputation  in  Ken¬ 
tucky,  where  he  came  into  competition  with  Ben 
Hardin,  John  Rowan  and  the  Wickliffs.  He  was  past 
middle  life,  and  had  never  been  a  politician ;  but  in 
1843  the  Whigs  needed  a  popular  candidate,  in  the 
Hancock  district,  for  Congress.  There  was  no  hope  of 
his  election  unless  Joe  Smith  and  his  followers  could 
be  manipulated,  and  thus  balance  the  Democratic  mar 
jority.  Mr.  Walker  resided  in  the  adjoining  county  of 
McDonough,  and  was  thought  to  be  just  the  man,  as 
in  a  long  criminal  practice  his  mind  had  become  a  per¬ 
fect  storehouse  of  expedients,  artifices  and  dodges.  He 
was  nominated,  and  accepted  in  the  full  belief  that  he 


84 


LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 


was  a  match  for  the  tricky  Prophet.  His  chances  were 
rather  doubtful,  as  the  Whigs  had  been  most  active  in 
the  anti-Mormon  Convention.  Owen  and  Davis,  Demo¬ 
crats,  had  deserted  to  the  Mormon  camp;  but  no  Whig 

*  * 

had  been  guilty  of  such  defection.  But  it  was  confi¬ 
dently  anticipated  Walker  could  out-general  the 
common-place  Mr.  Hoge,  the  Democratic  candidate. 
Meanwhile  the  peace  of  the  Mormon  Zion  was  dis¬ 
turbed.  Men  who  had.  toiled  without  remuneration 
began  to  murmur,  and  the  families  of  those  who  went 
forth  to  preach  the  gospel,  without  i  purse  or  scrip,’ 
often  suffered  greatly  in  their  absence.  Dr.  John  C. 
Bennett,  to  whose  instructions  the  Legion  owed  its  ad¬ 
mirable  drill  and  discipline,  had  not  risen  to  that  high 
rank  in  the  Hierarchy  which  he  fancied  his  talents  en¬ 
titled  him  to,  and  had  been  slighted  in  the  distribution 
of  female  prizes.  He  had  seceded,  and  wms  a  conspira¬ 
tor  against  the  Prophet,  denouncing  him  with  a  bitter¬ 
ness  born  of  imaginary  slight  and  wrong.  He  traveled 
through  the  West,  secured  large  crowds  wherever  he 
lectured,  of  all  who  were  attracted  by  the  disgusting 
details  of  Mormon  depravity.  But  at  the  same  time 
the  Prophet  was  engaged  in  exposing  and  denouncing 
him;  while  he  proved  Joe  to  be  immoral  and  licentious, 
the  latter  proved  the  same  thing  against  him,  and  the 
community  soon  became  satisfied  that  it  was  a  quarrel 
between  two  great  rascals,  and  they  were  not  called  upon 
to  decide  which  was  the  greater.  Joe  had  apparently 
forgotten  all  about  the  indictment  still  pending  against 
him  in  Missouri ;  but  Bennett  had  not,  and  by  his  in¬ 
trigues,  a  fresh  requisition  was  issued,  .and  Joe  was 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


85 


arrested  in  Henderson  County,  at  one  of  the  4  Stakes  of 
Zion,’  some  twenty-five  miles  from  Nauvoo.  But  the 
officers  soon  found  themselves  surrounded  by  a  detach¬ 
ment  of  the  Nauvoo  Legion,  and  the  whole  party  was 
conducted  in  triumph  to  that  city.  The  Municipal 
Court  met  to  try  the  legality  of  the  requisition  and  the 
regularity  of  the  proceedings,  and  Cyrus  Walker  was 
called  upon  for  his  opinion.  Their  judgment  was  in  no 
wise  controlled  by  his  arguments ;  but  his  approval  of 
such  jurisdiction  was  of  great  value  to  Joe  Smith.  He 
was  profuse  in  his  thanks  to  Walker,  and  promised  ear¬ 
nestly. to  support  him.  Walker  fully  believed  that  this 
settled  every  Mormon  vote  in  his  favor,  was  satisfied 
he  need  do  nothing  more,  and  returned  home  to  study 
up  the  political  questions  of  the  day,  and  fit  himself  for 
his  future  duties  in  Congress. 

44  But  there  was  some  4  wire-pulling  ’  going  on  of 
which  he  little  dreamed;  there  was  a  great  deal  of 
running  to  and  fro  of  4  managing  Democrats  ’  between 
Nauvoo  and  Springfield,  and  suddenly  the  Mormons 
were  called  in  a  mass  meeting,  the  second  day  before 
the  election,  when  Hyrum  Smith  arose  and  announced 
that  he  had  just  received  a  revelation  from  heaven  that 
the  Mormons  were  to  vote  for  the  Democrat,  Mr.  Hoge  S 
They  were  still  in  doubt  till  the  Prophet  arrived  next 
day,  when  the  whole  voting  population  of  Nauvoo  again 
assembled  to  hear  from  him.  He  stated  that  he  was 
not  prepared  to  advise  them  with  regard  to  election 
matters ;  he  could  only  inform  them  that  he  had  pledged 
his  own  vote  to  Mr.  W alker,  and  would  keep  his  pledge  ; 

but  he  had  received  no  communication  from  the  Lord 

*  *  # 


86 


LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

on  the  subject;  ‘he  had  not  seen  the  Lord,  nor  had  he 
gone  to  seek  the  Lord  about  the  matter.  He  was  not 
disposed  to  call  upon  the  Lord  at  the  request  or  desire 
of  any  Gentile  politician  ;  if  the  Lord  really  wanted  to 
see  him,  there  was  nothing  to  prevent  His  calling  upon 
him.  So  far  as  he  was  concerned,  the  people  might 
vote  for  Walker,  Hoge,  or  the  devil;  it  was  all  the 
same  to  him.  But/  continued  the  Prophet,  6 1  am  in¬ 
formed  my  brother  Hyrum  has  seen  the  Lord,  and  has 
something  to  say  to  you.  I  have  known  brother  Hyrum 
ever  since  he  was  a  boy,  and  never  knew  him  to  lie. 
When  the  Lord  speaks  let  all  the  earth  keep  silent.’ 
Thereupon  brother  Hyrum  took  the  stand  and  boldly 
announced  that  he  had  seen  the  Lord,  who  had  instructed 
him  to  support  Mr.  Hoge,  ‘  and  brethren,  you  are  all 
commanded  to  vote  for  Mr.  Hoge,  for  thus  saith  the 
Lord  God  Almighty.’  This  short  address  of  the  Pa¬ 
triarch  was  no  doubt  the  most  powerful  and  convincing 
‘  stump  speech  ’  ever  delivered.  When  the  count  was 
rendered  next  day,  Mr.  Cyrus  Walker  had  one  vote, 
whilst  Hoge’s  counted  by  thousands.  It  is  difficult  to 
realize  that  in  this  enlightened  age  and  most  enlightened 
nation,  any  assembly  could  be  found,  so  deplorably  igno¬ 
rant  as  to  be  controlled  by  two  such  blackguard  impos¬ 
tors,  yet  so  it  was  ;  they  listened  to  these  blasphemous 
deceivers  as  though  God  spoke  from  the  heavens.  Mr. 
Walker  did  not  go  to  Congress.  He  withdrew  forever 
from  politics,  devoted  himself  to  his  profession  and  grew 
rich.  He  heard  the  result  of  the  Nauvoo  election  with 
deep  mortification.  He  had  been  a  match  for  the 
shrewdest  and  most  cultivated  members  of  his  own  pro- 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


87 


fession ;  lie  was  now  tricked  and  sold  by  a  miserable 
impostor,  beneath  the  notice  of  any  respectable  man. 
Mr.  Walker  retired  to  his  bed  on  that  night  the  most 
bitter,  uncompromising  and  persevering  anti-Mormon 
in  the  State  of  Illinois.” 

To  this  interesting  recital  it  is  only  necessary  to 
add  a  few  facts  from  the  official  record.  Early  in  May, 
1843,  Governor  Lilburn  W.  Boggs,  of  Missouri,  while 
sitting  in  the  evening  near  an  open  window,  was  shot 
from  without  and  seriously  wounded  in  the  head.  By 
the  testimony  of  various  apostates  it  appears,  that  Joe 
Smith  had  frequently  foretold  the  “  sudden  vengeance 
of  God  on  the  Nero  of  Missouri,”  who  had  used  the 
State  troops  to  expel  the  Mormons ;  and  that  about  this 
time,  Orrin  Porter  Rockwell  was  for  some  time  absent 
from  Nauvoo,  and  when  Joe  Smith  was  asked  his  where¬ 
abouts,  he  replied  with  a  laugh,  “  0,  just  gone  to  fulfil 
prophecy.”  On  these  and  other  statements  an  indict¬ 
ment  was  found  in  Missouri  against  Smith  and  Rock¬ 
well,  and  soon  after  the  officers  of  that  State  secured 
another  requisition  from  Governor  Ford  for  Joe  Smith. 
He  was  arrested  and  released  by  his  own  Municipal 
Court,  with  the  advice  of  Mr.  Walker,  as  already  re¬ 
lated.  The  agents  of  Missouri  went  forthwith  to  make 
application  to  Governor  Ford,  for  a  body  of  militia  to 
enforce  the  writ,  and  Walker  was  sent  by  the  Mormons 
as  their  attorney  to  resist  the  application.  Governor 
Ford  declined  either  to  act  at  once,  or  to  say  how  he 
would  finally  act ;  as  he  afterwards  stated,  because  he 
was  not  clear  as  to  his  duty,  and  knew  the  politicians 
only  wanted  his  decision  to  carry  back  to  the  Mormons. 


88  LIFE  IN  UTAH ;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

In  this  state  of  uncertainty  the  Mormon  leaders  sent 
“Jake”  Backinstos  to  manoeuvre  at  Springfield,  and 
ascertain  if  possible  what  the  Governor  would  finally 
do.  Governor  Ford  was  absent  at  St.  Louis,  and  a 
prominent  Democrat,  in  his  interest  at  Springfield,  gave 
the  most  solemn  assurances  in  the  Governor  s  name, 
that  the  militia  would  not  be  sent  against  the  Mormons, 
if  they  voted  the  Democratic  ticket.  Neither  Governor 
Ford  nor  any  other  responsible  official  knew  aught  of 
this  promise  in  his  name,  till  after  the  Mormons  left  the 
State.  With  this  promise,  Backinstos  reached  Nauvoo 
but  two  days  before  the  election,  with  what  result  has 
already  been  seen.  Such  damning  political  treachery 
was  not  without  due  punishment.  The  Whigs  now 
saw  with  amazement,  that  the  most  solemn  promises 
meant  nothing  from  Joe  Smith;  the  Democrats  gen¬ 
erally  felt  that  a  sect  of  such  political  power,  for  sale 
every  day  and  every  hour  in  the  day,  and  uncertain  till 
the  last  hour  of  election,  was  no  safe  ally,  and  both 
parties  awaked  to  the  startling  fact,  that  Joe  Smith 
was  actual  dictator  of  their  politics  and  chose  their 
rulers.  The  anti-Mormon  excitement  was  accelerated 
ten-fold,  and  ceased  not  till  their  final  and  complete  ex¬ 
pulsion  from  the  State.  And  disastrous  as  was  that 
expulsion,  terrible  as  were  the  sufferings  of  individual 
Mormons,  it  is  scarcely  too  much  to  say  they  richly  de¬ 
served  it,  for  this  one  act  of  perfidy  and  folly. 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


89 


CHAPTER  III. 

MORMON  DIFFICULTIES  AND  DEATH  OF  THE  PROPHET. 


Ford’s  account — Double  treachery  in  the  Quincy  district — New  and  start¬ 
ling  developments  in  Nauvoo — Tyranny  of  Joe  Smith — Revolt  of  a  por¬ 
tion  of  his  followers — The  “Expositor” — It  is  declared  “a  nuisance” 
and  “abated” — Flight  of  apostates — Warrants  issued  for  Smith  and 
other  Mormons — Constables  driven  out  of  Nauvoo — Militia  called  for — • 
Nauvoo  fortified — Mormon  war  imminent — Governor  Ford  takes  the 
field  in  person — Flight  of  the  Prophet  and  Patriarch  to  Iowa — Their  re¬ 
turn  and  arrest — The  Governor  pledged  for  their  safety — In  his  absence 
the  jail  is  attacked— Death  of  the  Smiths — Character  of  the  Prophet — 
Comments. 

As  from  this  point  nearly  everything  connected  with 
the  Illinois  history  of  the  Mormons  is  official  and  politi¬ 
cal,  I  here  take  up  Governor  Ford’s  account : — 

“  It  appears  that  the  Mormons  had  been  directed  by 
their  leaders  to  vote  the  Whig  ticket  in  the  Quincy,  as 
well  as  the  Hancock  district.  In  the  Quincy  district, 
Judge  Douglas  was  the  Democratic  candidate,  and  0. 
H.  Browning  the  candidate  of  the  Whigs.  The  lead¬ 
ing  Mormons  at  Nauvoo  having  never  determined  in 
favor  of  the  Democrats  until  a  day  or  two  before  the 
election,  there  was  not  sufficient  time,  or  it  was  neg¬ 
lected,  to  send  orders  from  Nauvoo  into  the  Quincy 
district,  to  effect  a  change  there.  The  Mormons  in  that 
district  voted  for  Browning.  Douglas  and  his  friends, 
being  afraid  that  I  might  be  in  his  way  for  the  United 
States  Senate  in  1846,  seized  hold  of  this  circumstance 


90  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

to  affect  my  party  standing,  and  thereby  gave  counte¬ 
nance  to  the  clamor  of  the  Whigs,  secretly  whispering 
it  about  that  I  had  not  only  influenced  the  Mormons  to 
vote  for  Hoge,  but  for  Browning  also.  This  decided 
many  of  the  Democrats  in  favor  of  the  expulsion  of  the 
Mormons. 

“  No  further  demand  for  the  arrest  of  Joe  Smith 
having  been  made  by  Missouri,  he  became  emboldened 
by  success.  The  Mormons  became  more  arrogant  and 
overbearing.  In  the  winter  of  1843-4,  the  Common 
Council  passed  some  further  ordinances  to  protect  their 
leaders  from  arrest,  on  demand  from  Missouri.  They 
enacted  that  no  writ  issued  from  any  other  place  than 
Nauvoo,  for  the  arrest  of  any  person  in  it,  should  be 
executed  in  the  city,  without  an  approval  endorsed 
thereon  by  the  Mayor ;  that  if  any  public  offlcer,  by 
virtue  of  any  foreign  writ,  should  attempt  to  make  any 
arrest  in  the  city,  without  such  approval  of  his  process, 
he  should  be  subject  to  imprisonment  for  life,  and  that 
the  Governor  of  the  State  should  not  have  the  power 
of  pardoning  the  offender  without  the  consent  of  the 
Mayor.  When  these  ordinances  were  published,  they 
created  general  astonishment.  Many  people  began  to 
believe  in  good  earnest  that  the  Mormons  were  about 
to  set  up  a  separate  government  for  themselves  in  defi¬ 
ance  of  the  laws  of  the  State.  Owners  of  property 
stolen  in  other  counties  made  pursuit  into  Nauvoo,  and 
were  fined  by  the  Mormon  courts  for  daring  to  seek 
their  property  in  the  holy  city.  To  one  such  I  granted 
a  pardon.  Several  of  the  Mormons  had  been  convicted 
of  larceny,  and  they  never  failed  in  any  instance  to 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


91 


procure  petitions  signed  by  1,500  or  2,000  of  their 
friends  for  their  pardon.  But  that  which  made  it  more 
certain  than  everything  else,  that  the  Mormons  con¬ 
templated  a  separate  government,  was  that  about  this 
time  they  petitioned  Congress  to  establish  a  territorial 
government  for  them  in  Nauvoo;  as  if  Congress  had 
any  power  to  establish  such  a  government,  or  any  other, 
within  the  bounds  of  a  State. 

“To  crown  the  whole  folly  of  the  Mormons,  in  the 
spring  of  1844,  Joe  Smith  announced  himself  as  a  can¬ 
didate  for  President  of  the  United  States.  His  follow¬ 
ers  were  confident  that  he  would  be  elected.  Two  or 
three  thousand  missionaries  were  immediately  sent  out 
to  preach  their  religion,  and  to  electioneer  in  favor  of 
their  prophet  for  the  Presidency.  This  folly  at  once 
covered  that  people  with  ridicule  in  the  minds  of  all 
sensible  men,  and  brought  them  into  conflict  writh  the 
zealots  and  bigots  of  all  political  parties ;  as  the  arro¬ 
gance  and  extravagance  of  their  religious  pretensions 
had  already  aroused  the  opposition  of  all  other  denomi¬ 
nations  in  religion.  It  seems,  from  the  best  information 
that  could  be  got  from  the  best  men  who  had  seceded 
from  the  Mormon  church,  that  J oe  Smith  about  this  time 
conceived  the  idea  of  making  himself  a  temporal  prince 
as  well  as  spiritual  leader  of  his  people.  He  instituted 
a  hew  and  select  order  of  the  priesthood,  the  members 
of  which  were  to  be  priests  and  kings  temporally  and 
spiritually.  These  were  to  be  his  nobility,  who  were 
to  be  the  upholders  of  his  throne.  He  caused  himself 
to  be  crowned  and  anointed  king  and  priest,  far  above 
the  rest;  and  he  prescribed  the  form  of  an  oath  of 


92  LIFE  IN  UTAH ;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

» 

allegiance  to  himself,  which  he  administered  to  his 
principal  followers.  To  uphold  his  pretensions  to  roy¬ 
alty,  he  deduced  his  descent  by  an  unbroken  chain 
from  Joseph  the  son  of  Jacob,  and  that  of  his  wife 
from  some  other  renowned  personage  of  Old  Testament 
history.  The  Mormons  openly  denounced  the  goverment 
of  the  United  States  as  utterly  corrupt,  and  as  being 
about  to  pass  away,  and  to  be  replaced  by  the  govern¬ 
ment  of  God,  to  be  administered  by  his  servant  Joseph. 
It  is  at  this  day  certain,  also,  that  about  this  time, 
the  prophet  re-instituted  an  order  in  the  Church  called 
the  4  Danite  Band.’  These  were  to  be  a  body  of  police 
and  guards  about  the  person  of  their  sovereign,  who 
were  sworn  to  obey  his  orders  as  the  orders  of  God 
himself. 

cc  Soon  after  these  institutions  were  established,  Joe 
Smith  began  to  play  the  tyrant  over  several  of  his  fol¬ 
lowers.  The  first  act  of  this  sort  which  excited  atten¬ 
tion,  was  an  attempt  to  take  the  wife  of  William  Law, 
one  of  his  most  talented  and  principal  disciples,  and 
make  her  a  spiritual  wife.  By  means  of  his  Common 
Council,  without  the  authority  of  law,  he  established  a 
recorder’s -office  in  Nauvoo,  in  which  alone  the  titles  of 
property  could  be  recorded.  In  the  same  manner  and 
with  the  same  want  of  legal  authority,  he  established 
an  office  for  issuing  marriage  licenses  to  Mormons,  so 
as  to  give  him  absolute  control  of  the  marrying  pro¬ 
pensities  of  his  people.  He  proclaimed  that  none  in 
the  city  should  purchase  real  estate  to  sell  again,  but 
himself.  He  also  permitted  no  one  but  himself  to 
have  a  license  in  the  city  for  the  sale  of  spirituous 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


93 


liquors ;  and  in  many  other  ways  he  undertook  to  regu¬ 
late  and  control  the  business  of  the  Mormons.  This 
despotism,  administered  by  a  corrupt  and  unprincipled 
man,  soon  became  intolerable.  William  Law,  one  of 
the  most  eloquent  preachers  of  the  Mormons,  who 
appeared  to  me  to  be  a  deluded  but  conscientious  and 
candid  man,  Wilson  Law,  his  brother,  Major-General 
of  the  Legion,  and  four  or  live  other  Mormon  leaders, 
resolved  upon  a  rebellion  against  the  authority  of  the 
Prophet.  They  designed  to  enlighten  their  brethren 
and  fellow-citizens  upon  the  new  institutions,  the  new 
turn  given  to  Mormonism,  and  the  practices  under  the 
new  system,  by  procuring  a  printing-press  and  estab¬ 
lishing  a  newspaper  in  the  city,  to  be  the  organ  of  their 
complaints  and  views.  But  they  never  issued  but  one 
number ;  before  the  second  could  appear,  the  press  was 
demolished  by  an  order  of  the  Common  Council,  and 
the  conspirators  were  ejected  from  the  Mormon 
Church. 

“  The  Mormons  themselves  published  the  proceedings 
of  the  Council  in  the  trial  and  destruction  of  the  heret¬ 
ical  press ;  from  which  it  does  not  appear  that  any  one 
was  tried,  or  that  the  editor  or  any  of  the  owners  of  the 
property  had  notice  of  the  trial,  or  were  permitted  to 
defend  in  any  particular. 

“  The  proceeding  was  an  exjparte  proceeding,  partly 
civil  and  partly  ecclesiastical,  against  the  press  itself. 
No  jury  was  called  or  sworn,  nor  were  the  witnesses  re¬ 
quired  to  give  their  evidence  upon  oath.  The  council¬ 
lors  stood  up  one  after  another,  and  some  of  them  sev¬ 
eral  times,  and  related  what  they  pretended  to  know. 


94  LIFE  IN  UTAH  j  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

In  this  mode  it  was  abundantly  proved  that  the  owners 
of  the  proscribed  press  were  sinners,  whoremasters, 
thieves,  swindlers,  counterfeiters  and  robbers;  the  evi¬ 
dence  of  which  is  reported  in  the  trial  at  full  length. 
It  was  altogether  the  most  curious  and  irregular  trial 
that  ever  was  recorded  in  any  civilized  country ;  and 
one  finds  difficulty  in  determining  whether  the  proceed¬ 
ings  of  the  Council  were  more  the  result  of  insanity  or 
depravity.  The  trial  resulted  in  the  conviction  of  the 
press  as  a  public  nuisance.  The  Mayor  was  ordered  to 
see  it  abated  as  such,  and  if  necessary,  to  call  the  Legion 
to  his  assistance.  The  Mayor  issued  his  warrant  to  the 
City  Marshal,  who,  aided  by  a  portion  of  the  Legion, 
proceeded  to  the  obnoxious  printing-office,  and  destroyed 
the  press  and  scattered  the  types  and  other  materials. 

“  After  this,  it  became  too  hot  for  the  seceding  and 
rejected  Mormons  to  remain  in  the  holy  city.  They 
retired  to  Carthage,  the  county-seat  of  Hancock  County, 
and  took  out  warrants  for  the  Mayor  and  members  of 
the  Common  Council,  and  others  engaged  in  the  outrage, 
for  a  riot.  Some  of  those  were  arrested,  but  were  im¬ 
mediately  taken  before  the  Municipal  Court  of  the  city 
on  habeas  corpus ,  and  discharged  from  custody. 

u  On  the  seventeenth  day  of  J une  following,  a  com¬ 
mittee  of  a  meeting  of  the  citizens  of  Carthage,  pre¬ 
sented  themselves  to  me  with  a  request  that  the  militia 
might  be  ordered  out  to  assist  in  executing  process  in 
the  city  of  Nauvoo.  I  determined  to  visit  in  person 
that  section  of  country,  and  examine  for  myself  the 
truth  and  nature  of  their  complaints.  No  order  for  the 
militia  was  made  ;  and  I  arrived  at  Carthage  on  the 
morning  of  the  21st  day  of  the  same  month. 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


95 


“  Upon  my  arrival,  I  found  an  armed  force  assembled 
and  hourly  increasing,  under  the  summons  and  direction 
of  the  constables  of  the  county,  to  serve  as  a  posse  com- 
itatus  to  assist  in  the  execution  of  process.  The  general 
of  the  brigade  had  also  called  for  the  militia,  en  masse , 
of  the  counties  of  McDonough  and  Schuyler,  for  a  sim¬ 
ilar  purpose.  Another  assemblage  to  a  considerable 
number  had  been  made  at  Warsaw,  under  military  com¬ 
mand  of  Col.  Levi  Williams. 

66  The  first  thing  which  I  did  on  my  arrival  was  to 
place  all  the  militia  then  assembled,  and  which  were 
expected  to  assemble,  under  military  command  of  their 
proper  officers.  I  next  dispatched  a  messenger  to 
Nauvoo,  informing  the  Mayor  and  Common  Council  of 
the  nature  of  the  complaint  made  against  them ;  and 
requested  that  persons  might  be  sent  to  me  to  lay  their 
side  of  the  question  before  me.  A  Committee  was 
'  accordingly  sent,  who  made  such  acknowledgments 
that  I  had  no  difficulty  in  concluding  what  were  the 
facts. 

“  It  appeared  clearly,  both  from  the  complaints  of  the 
citizens  and  the  acknowledgments  of  the  Mormon  Com¬ 
mittee,  that  the  whole  proceedings  of  the  Mayor,  the 
Common  Council,  and  the  Municipal  Court,  were 
irregular  and  illegal,  and  not  to  be  endured  in  a  free 
country ;  though,  perhaps,  some  apology  might  be  made 
for  the  Court,  as  it  had  been  repeatedly  assured  by 
some  of  the  best  lawyers  in  the  State,  who  had  been 
candidates  for  office  before  that  people,  that  it  had  full 
and  competent  power  to  issue  writs  of  habeas  corpus  in 
all  cases  whatever.  The  Common  Council  violated  the 


96  LIFE  IN  UTAH  ;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

law  in  assuming  the  exercise  of  judicial  power;  in 
proceeding  exparte  without  notice  to  the  owners  of  the 
property;  in  proceeding  against  the  property  in  rem ; 
in  not  calling  a  jury;  in  not  swearing  all  the  witnesses; 
in  not  giving  the  owners  of  the  property,  accused  of 
being  a  nuisance,  in  consequence  of  being  libelous,  an 
opportunity  of  giving  the  truth  in  evidence ;  and  in 
fact,  by  not  proceeding  by  civil  suit  or  indictment,  as 
in  other  cases  of  libel.  The  Mayor  violated  the  law  in 
ordering  this  erroneous  and  absurd  judgment  of  the 
Common  Council  to  be  executed.  And  the  Municipal 
Court  erred  in  discharging  them  from  arrest. 

aAs  this  proceeding  touched  the  liberty  of  the  pre$s, 
which  is  justly  dear  to  any  Republican  people,  it  was 
well  calculated  to  raise  a  great  flame  of  excitement. 
And  it  may  well  be  questioned  whether  years  of 
misrepresentation  by  the  most  profligate  newspaper 
could  have  engendered  such  a  feeling  as  was  produced 
by  the  destruction  of  this  one  press.  It  is  apparent 
that  the  Mormon  leaders  but  little  understood,  and 
regarded  less  the  true  principles  of  civil  liberty.  A 
free  press,  well  conducted,  is  a  great  blessing  to  a  free 
people ;  a  profligate  one  is  likely  soon  to  deprive  itself 
of  all  credit  and  influence  by  the  multitude  of  false¬ 
hoods  put  forth  by  it.  In  addition  to  these  causes  of 
excitement,  there  were  a  great  many  reports  in 
circulation,  and  generally  believed  by  the  people. 

a  Fortunately  for  the  purposes  of  those  who  were 
active  in  creating  excitement,  there  were  many  known 
truths  which  gave  countenance  to  some  of  these  accusa¬ 
tions.  It  was  sufficiently  proved  in  a  proceeding  at 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM 


97 


Carthage  whilst  I  was  there,  that  Joe  Smith  had  sent 
a  band  of  his  followers  to  Missouri,  to  kidnap  two  men 
who  were  witnesses  against  a  member  of  his  Church 
then  in  jail,  about  to  be  tried  on  a  charge  of  larceny. 
It  was  also  a  notorious  fact,  that  he  had  assaulted  and 
severely  beaten  an  officer  of  the  county,  for  an  alleged 
non-performance  of  his  duty,  at  a  time  when  that 
officer  was  just  recovering  from  a  severe  illness.  It  is 
a  fact  also,  that  he  stood  indicted  for  the  crime  of 
perjury,  as  was  alleged,  in  swearing  to  an  accusation 
for  murder,  in  order  to  drive  a  man  out  of  Nauvoo, 
who  had  been  engaged  in  buying  and  selling  lots  and 
land,  and  thus  interfering  with  the  monopoly  of  the 
Prophet  as  a  speculator.  It  is  a  fact  also,  that  his 
Municipal  Court,  of  which  he  was  Chief  Justice,  by 
writ  of  habeas  corpus ,  had  frequently  discharged  indi¬ 
viduals  accused  of  high  crimes  and  offences  against  the 
laws  of  the  State ;  and  on  one  occasion  had  discharged 
a  person  accused  of  swindling  the  Government  of  the 
United  States,  who  had  been  arrested  by  process  of  the 
Federal  Courts ;  thereby  giving  countenance  to  the  • 
report,  that  he  obstructed  the  administration  of  justice, 
and  had  set  up  a  government  at  Nauvoo,  independent 
of  the  laws  and  Government  of  the  State.  This  idea 
was  further  corroborated  in  the  minds  of  the  people,  by 
the  fact  that  the  people  of  Nauvoo  had  petitioned 
Congress  for  a  Territorial  Government  to  be  established 
there,  and  to  be  independent  of  the  State  Government. 
It  was  a  fact  also,  that  some  larcenies  and  robberies 
had  been  committed,  and  that  Mormons  had  been 
convicted  of  the  crimes,  and  that  other  larcenies  had 


* 


98  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

been  committed  by  persons  unknown,  but  suspected  to 
be  Mormons.  Justice,  however,  requires  me  here  to 
say,  that  upon  such  investigation  as  I  then  could  make, 
the  charge  of  promiscuous  stealing  appeared  to  be 
exaggerated. 

“  Another  cause  of  excitement,  was  a  report  industri¬ 
ously  circulated,  and  generally  believed,  that  Hiram 
Smith,  another  leader  of  the  Mormon  Church,  had 
offered  a  reward  for  the  destruction  of  the  press  of  the 
‘  Warsaw  Signal,’  a  newspaper  published  in  the  county, 
and  the  organ  of  the  opposition  to  the  Mormons.  It 
was  also  asserted,  that  the  Mormons  scattered  through 
the  settlements  of  the  county,  had  threatened  all 
persons  who  turned  out  to  assist  the  constables,  with 
the  destruction  of  their  property  and  the  murder  of 
their  families,  in  the  absence  of  their  fathers,  brothers 
and  husbands.  A  Mormon  woman  in  McDonough 
County  was  imprisoned  for  threatening  to  poison  the 
wells  of  the  people  who  turned  out  in  the  posse  ;  and  a 
Mormon  in  Warsaw  publicly  avowed  that  he  was 
bound  by  his  religion  to  obey  all  orders  of  the  prophet, 
,  even  to  commit  murder,  if  so  commanded. 

aBut  the  great  cause  of  popular  fury  was,  that  the 
Mormons  at  several  preceding  elections  had  cast  their 
vote  as  a  unit ;  thereby  making  the  fact  apparent,  that 
no  one  could  aspire  to  the  honors  or  offices  of  the 
country  within  the  sphere  of  their  influence,  without 
their  approbation  and  votes. 

“  As  my  object  in  visiting  Hancock  was  expressly  to 
assist  in  the  execution  of  the  laws,  and  not  .to  violate 
them,  or  to  witness  or  permit  their  violation,  as  I  was 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


99 


convinced  that  the  Mormon  leaders  had  committed  a 
crime  in  the  destruction  of  the  press,  and  had  resisted 
the  execution  of  process,  I  determined  to  exert  the 
whole  force  of  the  State,  if  necessary,  to  bring  them 
to  justice.  But  seeing  the  great  excitement  in  the 
public  mind,  and  the  manifest  tendency  of  this  excite¬ 
ment  to  run  into  mobocracy,  I  was  of  opinion,  that 
before  I  acted,  I  ought  to  obtain  a  pledge  from  the 
officers  and  men  to  support  me  in  strictly  legal  meas¬ 
ures,  and  to  protect  the  prisoners  in  case  they  surren¬ 
dered.  I  was  determined,  if  possible,  the  forms  of  law 
should  not  be  made  the  catspaw  of  a  mob,  to  seduce 
these  people  to  a  cjuiet  surrender,  as  the  convenient 
victims  of  popular  fury.  I  therefore  called  together 
the  whole  force  then  assembled  at  Carthage,  and  made 
an  address,  explaining  to  them  what  I  could,  and  what 
I  could  not,  legally  do ;  and  also  adducing  to  them 
various  reasons  why  they  as  well  as  the  Mormons 
should  submit  to  the  laws ;  and  why,  if  they  had  re¬ 
solved  on  revolutionary  proceedings,  their  purpose 
should  be  abandoned.  The  assembled  troops  seemed 
much  pleased  with  the  address ;  and  upon  its  conclu¬ 
sion,  the  officers  and  men  unanimously  voted,  with 
acclamation,  to  sustain  me  in  a  strictly  legal  course, 
and  that  the  prisoners  should  be  protected  from  vio¬ 
lence.  Upon  the  arrival  of  additional  forces  from 
Warsaw,  McDonough,  and  Schuyler,  similar  addresses 
were  made,  with  the  same  result. 

“  It  seemed  to  me  that  these  votes  fully  authorized 
me  to  promise  the  accused  Mormons  the  protection  of 
the  law  in  case  they  surrendered.  They  were  accord- 


100  LIFE  IN  UTAH ;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

ingly  duly  informed  that  if  they  surrendered  they 
would  be  protected,  and  if  they  did  not,  the  whole 
force  of  the  State  would  be  called  out,  if  necessary,  to 
compel  their  submission.  A  force  of  ten  men  was  de¬ 
spatched  with  the  constable  to  make  the  arrests,  and 
to  guard  the  prisoners  to  headquarters. 

u  In  the  meantime,  J oe  Smith,  as  Lieutenant-Gen¬ 
eral  of  the  Nauvoo  Legion,  had  declared  martial  law  in 
the  city ;  the  Legion  was  assembled,  and  ordered  under 
arms ;  the  members  of  it  residing  in  the  country  were 
ordered  into  town.  The  Mormon  settlements  obeyed 
the  summons  of  their  leader,  and  marched  to  his  assist¬ 
ance.  Nauvoo  was  one  great  military  camp,  strictly 
guarded  and  watched ;  and  no  ingress  or  egress  was 
allowed  except  upon  the  strictest  examination.  In 
one  instance,  which  came  to  my  knowledge,  a  citizen 
of  McDonough,  who  happened  to  be  in  the  city,  was 
denied  the  privilege  of  returning,  until  he  made  oath 
that  he  did  not  belong  to  the  party  at  Carthage,  that 
he  would  return  home  without  calling  at  Carthage, 
and  that  he  would  give  no  information  of  the  move¬ 
ments  of  the  Mormons. 

“  However,  upon  the  arrival  of  the  constable  and 
guard,  the  Mayor  and  Common  Council  at  once  signi¬ 
fied  their  willingness  to  surrender,  and  stated  their 
readiness  to  proceed  to  Carthage  next  morning  at  eight 
o’clock.  Martial  law  had  previously  been  abolished. 
The  hour  of  eight  o’clock  came,  and  the  accused  failed 
to  make  their  appearance.  The  constable  and  his  escort 
returned.  The  constable  made  no  effort  to  arrest  any 
of  them,  nor  would  he  or  the  guard  delay  their  departure 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


101 


one  minute  beyond  the  time,  to  see  whether  an  arrest 
could  be  made.  Upon  their  return,  they  reported  that 
they  had  been  informed  that  the  accused  had  fled,  and 
could  not  be  found. 

“In  the  meantime,  I  made  a  requisition  upon  the 
officers  of  the  Nauvoo  Legion  for  the  State  arms  in  their 


possession.  It  appears  that  there  was  no  evidence  in 
the  quartermaster-general’s  office  of  the  number  and  de¬ 
scription  of  the  arms  with  which  the  Legion  had  been 
furnished.  Dr.  Bennett,  after  he  had  been  appointed 
quartermaster-general,  had  joined  the  Mormons,  and 
had  disposed  of  the  public  arms  as  he  pleased,  without 
keeping  or  giving  any  account  of  them.  On  this  subject 
I  applied  to  General  Wilson  Law  for  information.  He 
had  lately  been  the  Major-general  of  the  Legion.  He 
had  seceded  from  the  Mormon  party ;  was  one  of  the 
owners  of  the  proscribed  press ;  had  left  the  city,  as  he 
said,  in  fear  of  his  life,  and  was  one  of  the  party  asking 
for  justice  against  its  constituted  authorities.  He  was 
interested  to  exaggerate  the  number  of  arms  rather  than 
to  place  it  at  too  low  an  estimate.  From  his  informa¬ 
tion  I  learned  that  the  Legion  had  received  three  pieces 
of  cannon,  and  about  two  hundred  and  fifty  stand  of 
small  arms  and  their  accoutrements.  Of  these,  the 
three  pieces  of  cannon  and  two  hundred  and  fifty  stand 
of  small  arms  were  surrendered.  These  arms  were  de¬ 
manded  because  the  Legion  was  illegally  used  in  the  de¬ 
struction  of  the  press,  and  in  enforcing  martial  law  in 
the  city,  in  open  resistance  to  legal  process,  and  the 
posse  comitatus. 

“  I  demanded  the  surrender  also,  on  account  of  the 


102  LIFE  IN  UTAH  ;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

<  * 

great  prejudice  and  excitement  which  the  possession  of 
these  arms  by  the  Mormons  had  always  kindled  in  the 
minds  of  the  people.  A  large  portion  of  the  people,  by 
pure  misrepresentation,  had  been  made  to  believe  that 
the  Legion  had  received  from  the  State  as  many  as  thirty 
pieces  of  artillery  and  live  or  six  thousand  stands  of  small 
arms,  which,  in  all  probability,  would  soon  be  wielded 
for  the  conquest  of  the  country,  and  for  their  subjection 
to  Mormon  domination.  I  was  of  opinion  that  the  re¬ 
moval  of  these  arms  would  tend  much  to  allay  this  ex¬ 
citement  and  prejudice;  and  in  point  of  fact,  although 
wearing  a  severe  aspect,  would  be  an  act  of  real  kind¬ 
ness  to  the  Mormons  themselves. 

a  On  the  23d  or  24th  day  of  June,  Joe  Smith,  the 
Mayor  of  Nauvoo,  together  with  his  brother  Hyrum 
and  all  the  members  of  the  Council,  and  all  others  de¬ 
manded,  came  into  Carthage  and  surrendered  them¬ 
selves  prisoners  to  the  constable,  on  the  charge  of  riot. 
They  all  voluntarily  entered  into  a  recognizance  before 
the  Justice  of  the  Peace,  for  their  appearance  at  court  . 
to  answer  the  charge.  And  all  of  them  were  discharged 
from  custody  except  Joe  and  Hyrum  Smith,  against 
whom  the  magistrate  had  issued  a  new  writ,  on  a  com¬ 
plaint  of  treason.  They  were  immediately  arrested  by 
the  constable  on  this  charge,  and  retained  in  his  custody 
to  answer  it. 

66  Soon  after  the  surrender  of  the  Smiths,  at  their  re¬ 
quest  I  dispatched  Captain  Singleton  with  his  company, 
from  Brown  County  to  Nauvoo,  to  guard  the  town  ;  and 
I  authorized  him  to  take  command  of  the  Legion.  He 
reported  to  me  afterwards,  that  he  called  out  the  Legion 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


103 


for  inspection;  and  that,  upon  two  hours’  notice,  two 
thousand  of  them  assembled,  all  of  them  armed ;  and 
this  after  the  public  arms  had  been  taken  away  from 
them.  So  it  appears  that  they  had  a  sufficiency  of 
private  arms  for  any  reasonable  purpose. 

“  After  the  Smiths  had  been  arrested  on  the  new 
charge  of  treason,  the  Justice  of  the  Peace  postponed 
the  examination,  because  neither  of  the  parties  were 
prepared  with  their  witnesses  for  trial.  Meanwhile  he 
committed  them  to  the  jail  of  the  county  for  greater 
security.  The  jail  in  which  they  were  confined,  is  a 
considerable  stone  building;  containing  a  residence  for 
the  jailor,  cells  for  the  close  and  secure  confinement  of 
prisoners,  and  one  larger  room  not  so  strong,  but  more 
airy  and  comfortable  than  the  cells.  They  were  put 
into  the  cells  by  the  jailor ;  but  upon  their  remonstrance 
and  request,  and  by  my  advice,  they  were  transferred 
to  the  larger  room ;  and  there  they  remained  until  the 
final  catastrophe.  Neither  they  nor  I  seriously  appre¬ 
hended  an  attack  on  the  jail,  through  the  guard  sta¬ 
tioned  to  protect  it.  Nor  did  I  apprehend  the  least 
danger  on  their  part  of  an  attempt  to  escape/  For  I 
was  very  sure  that  any  such  an  attempt  would  have 
been  the  signal  of  their  immediate  death.  Indeed,  if 
they  had  escaped,  it  would  have  been  fortunate  for  the 
purposes  of  those  who  were  anxious  for  the  expulsion 
of  the  Mormon  population.  For  the  great  body  of 
that  people  would  most  assuredly  have  followed  their 
Prophet  and  principal  leaders,  as  they  did  in  their  flight 
from  Missouri.  I  learned  afterwards  that  the  leaders 
of  the  anti-Mormons  did  much  to  stimulate  their  fol- 


104  LIFE  IN  UTAH  ;  OR,  THE  MYSTERfES 

lowers  to  the  murder  of  the  Smiths  in  jail,  by  alleging 
that  the  Governor  intended  to  favor  their  escape.  If 
this  had  been  true,  and  could  have  been  well  carried 
out,  it  would  have  been  the  best  way  of  getting  rid  of 
the  Mormons.  The  leaders  would  not  have  dared  to 
return,  and  all  their  church  would  have  followed.  I 
had  such  a  plan  in  my  mind,  but  I  had  never  breathed 
it  to  a  living  soul,  and  was  thus  thwarted  in  ridding 
the  State  of  the  Mormons  two  years  before  they  actu¬ 
ally  left,  by  the  insane  fury  of  the  anti-Mormons. 

66  The  force  assembled  at  Carthage  amounted  to  about 
twelve  or  thirteen  hundred  men,  and  it  was  calculated 
that  four  or  five  hundred  more  were  assembled  at  War¬ 
saw.  Nearly  all  that  portion  resident  in  Hancock  were 
anxious  to  be  marched  into  Nauvoo.  This  measure  was 
supposed  to  be  necessary,  to  search  for  counterfeit  money 
and  the  apparatus  to  make  it,  and  also  to  strike  a  salu¬ 
tary  terror  into  the  Mormon  people,  by  an  exhibition  of 
the  force  of  the  State,  and  thereby  prevent  future  out¬ 
rages,  murders,  robberies,  burnings,  and  the  like,  appre¬ 
hended  as  the  effect  of  Mormon  vengeance  on  those  who 
had  taken  a  part  against  them.  On  my  part,  at  one  time, 
this  arrangement  was  agreed  to.  The  morning  of  the 
27th  day  of  J une  was  appointed  for  the  march;  and  Gold¬ 
en’s  Point, near  the  Mississippi  river,  and  about  equidistant 
from  Nauvoo  and  Warsaw,  was  selected  as  the  place  of 
rendezvous.  I  had  determined  to  prevail  on  the  Justice 
to  bring  out  his  prisoners,  and  take  them  along.  A  coun¬ 
cil  of  officers,  however,  determined  that  this  would  be 
highly  inexpedient  and  dangerous,  and  offered  such  sub¬ 
stantial  reasons  for  their  opinions  as  induced  me  to 
change  my  resolution. 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


105 


“  Two  or  three  days’  preparation  had  been  made  for 
this  expedition.  I  observed  that  some  of  the  people 
became  more  and  more  excited  and  inflammatory,  the 
further  the  preparations  were  advanced.  Occasional 
threats  came  to  my  ears  of  destroying  the  city  and  mur¬ 
dering  or  expelling  the  inhabitants.  I  had  no  objection 
to  ease  the  terrors  of  the  people  by  such  a  display  of 
force,  and  was  most  anxious  also  to  search  for  the  al¬ 
leged  apparatus  for  making  counterfeit  money;  and,  in 
fact,  to  inquire  into  all  the  charges  against  that  people, 
if  I  could  have  been  assured  of  my  command  against 
mutiny  and  insubordination.  But  I  gradually  learned 
to  my  entire  satisfaction,  that  there  was  a  plan  to  get 
the  troops  into  Nauvoo,  and  there  to  begin  the  war,  prob¬ 
ably  by  some  of  our  own  party,  or  some  of  the  seceding 
Mormons,  taking  advantage  of  the  night  to  fire  on  our 
own  force,  and  then  laying  it  to  the  Mormons.  I  was 
satisfied  there  were  those  amongst  us  fully  capable  of 
such  an  act,  hoping  that  in  the  alarm,  bustle  and  con¬ 
fusion  of  a  militia  camp,  the  truth  could  not  be  dis¬ 
covered,  and  that  it  might  lead  to  the  desired  collision. 

“All  these  considerations  were  duly  urged  by  me 
upon  the  attention  of  a  council  of  officers,  convened  on 
the  morning  of  June  27th.  I  also  urged  upon  the 
council,  that  such  wanton  and  unprovoked  barbarity 
on  their  part  would  turn  the  sympathy  of  the  people 
in  the  surrounding  counties  in  favor  of  the  Mormons, 
and  therefore  it  would  be  impossible  to  raise  a  volun¬ 
teer  militia  force  to  protect  such  a  people  against  them. 
Many  of  the  officers  admitted  that  there  might  be 
danger  of  collision.  But  such  was  the  blind  fury  j)re- 


106  LIFE  IN  UTAH  ;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

vailing  at  the  time,  though  not  showing  itself  by  much 
visible  excitement,  that  a  small  majority  of  the  council 
adhered  to  the  first  resolution  of  marching  into  Nauvoo; 
most  of  the  officers  of  the  Schuyler  and  McDonough 
militia  voting  against  it,  and  most  of  those  of  the 
County  of  Hancock  voting  in  its  favor. 

aA  very  responsible  duty  now  devolved  upon  me  to 
determine  whether  I  would,  as  Commander-in-Chief,  be 
governed  by  the  advice  of  this  majority.  I  had  no 
hesitation  in  deciding  that  I  would  not ;  but  on  the 
contrary,  I  ordered  the  troops  to  be  disbanded,  both  at 
Carthage  and  Warsaw,  with  the  exception  of  three  com¬ 
panies,  two  of  which  were  retained  as  a  guard  to  the 
jail,  and  the  other  to  accompany  me  to  Nauvoo. 

66 1  ordered  two  companies  under  the  command  of  Cap¬ 
tain  R.  F.  Smith,  of  the  Carthage  Grays,  to  guard  the 
jail.  In  selecting  these  companies,  and  particularly 
the  company  of  the  Carthage  Grays  for  this  service,  I 
have  been  subjected  to  some  censure.  It  has  been  said 
that  this  company  had  already  been  guilty  of  mutiny, 
and  had  been  ordered  to  be  arrested  whilst  in  the  en¬ 
campment  at  Carthage ;  and  they  and  their  officers 
were  the  deadly  enemies  of  the  prisoners.  Indeed  it 
would  have  been  difficult  to  find  friends  of  the  prisoners 
under  my  command,  unless  I  had  called  in  the  Mor¬ 
mons  as  a  guard ;  and  this  I  was  satisfied  would  have 
led  to  immediate  war,  and  the  sure  death  of  the 
prisoners. 

“  Although  I  knew  that  this  company  were  the  ene¬ 
mies  of  the  Smiths,  yet  I  had  confidence  in  their  loyalty 
and  integrity ;  because  their  captain  was  universally 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


107 


spoken  of  as  a  respectable  citizen  and  honorable  man. 
The  company  itself  was  an  old  independent  company, 
well  armed,  uniformed  and  drilled ;  and  the  members  of 
it  were  the  elite  of  the  militia  of  the  county.  I  relied 
upon  this  company  especially,  because  it  was  an  inde¬ 
pendent  company,  for  a  long  time  instructed  and  prac¬ 
ticed  in  military  discipline  and  subordination.  I  also 
had  their  word  of  honor,  officers  and  men,  that  they 
would  do  their  duty  according  to  law.  Besides  all  this 
the  officers  and  most  of  the  men  resided  in  Carthage ; 
and  in  the  near  vicinity  of  Nauvoo;  and,  as  I  thought, 
must  know  that  they  would  make  themselves  and  their 
property  convenient  and  conspicuous  marks  of  Mor¬ 
mon  vengeance,  in  case  they  were  guilty  of  treachery. 

“I  had  at  first  intended  to  select  a  guard  from  the 
County  of  McDonough,  but  the  militia  of  that  county 
were  very  much  dissatisfied  to  remain ;  their  crops  were 
suffering  at  home ;  they  were  in  a  perfect  fever  to  be 
discharged ;  and  I  was  destitute  of  provisions  to  supply 
them  for  more  than  a  few  days.  They  were  far  from 
home,  where  they  could  not  supply  themselves.  Whilst 
the  Carthage  company  could  byard  at  their  own  homes, 
and  would  be  put  to  little  inconvenience  in  comparison. 

“  It  is  true  also,  that  at  this  time  I  had  not  believed 
or  suspected  that  an  attack  would  be  made  upon  the 
prisoners  in  jail.  It  is  true  that  I  was  aware  that  a 
great  deal  of  hatred  existed  against  them,  and  that 
there  were  those  who  would  do  them  an  injury  if  they 
could.  I  had  heard  of  some  threats  being  made,  but 
none  of  an  attack  upon  the  prisoners  while  in  jail. 
These  threats  seemed  to  be  made  by  individuals  not 


108  LIFE  IN  UTAH  ;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

acting  in  concert.  They  were  no  more  than  the  bluster 
which  might  have  been  expected,  and  furnished  no  in¬ 
dication  of  numbers  combining  for  this  or  any  other 
purpose.  Having  ordered  the  guard  and  left  Gen. 
JDeming  in  command  and  discharged  the  residue  of  the 
militia,  I  immediately  departed  for  Nauvoo,  eighteen 
miles  distant,  accompanied  by  Colonel  Buckmaster, 
Quartermaster  General,  and  Captain  Dunn’s  company 
of  dragoons. 

“After  we  had  proceeded  four  miles,  Col.  Buckmaster 
intimated  to  me  a  suspicion  that  an  attack  would  be 
made  upon  the  jail.  He  stated  the  matter  as  a  mere 
suspicion,  arising  from  having  seen  two  persons  con¬ 
verse  together  at  Carthage  with  some  air  of  mystery. 
I  myself  entertained  no  suspicion  of  such  an  attack ; 
at  any  rate,  none  before  the  next  day  in  the  afternoon ; 
because  it  was  notorious  that  we  had  departed  from 
Carthage  with  the  declared  intention  of  being  absent 
at  least  two  days.  I  could  not  believe  that  any  person 
would  attack  the  jail  whilst  we  were  in  Nauvoo,  and 
thereby  expose  my  life  and  the  life  of  my  companions 
to  the  sudden  vengeancetof  the  Mormons,  upon  hearing 
of  the  death  of  their  leaders.  Nevertheless,  acting 
upon  the  principle  of  providing  against  mere  possibili¬ 
ties,  I  sent  back  one  of  the  company  with  a  special 
order  to  Captain  Smith  to  guard  the  jail  strictly,  and 
at  the  peril  of  his  life,  until  my  return. 

“We  proceeded  on  our  journey  four  miles  further. 
By  this  time  I  had  convinced  myself  that  no  attack 
would  be  made  upon  the  jail  that  day  or  night.  I 
supposed  that  a  regard  for  my  safety  and  the  safety  of 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


109 


my  companions  would  prevent  an  attack  until  those  to 
be  engaged  in  it  could  be  assured  of  our  departure  from 
Nauvoo.  I  still  think  that  this  ought  to  have  ap- 
peared  to  me  to  be  a  reasonable  supposition.  I  there¬ 
fore  determined  at  this  point  to  omit  making  the 
search  for  counterfeit  money  at  Nauvoo,  and  defer  an 
examination  of  all  other  abominations  charged  on  that 
people,  in  order  to  return  to  Carthage  that  same  night, 
that  I  might  be  on  the  ground  in  person,  in  time  to 
prevent  an  attack  upon  the  jail,  if  any  had  been  medi¬ 
tated.  To  this  end  we  called  a  halt;  the  baggage 
wagons  were  ordered  to  remain  where  they  were  until 
towards  evening,  and  then  return  to  Carthage. 

“  Having  made  these  arrangements,  we  proceeded  on 
our  march,  and  arrived  at  Nauvoo  about  four  o’clock 
of  the  afternoon  of  the  27th  day  of  June.  As  soon  as 
notice  could  be  given,  a  crowd  of  the  citizens  assembled 
to  hear  an  address  which  I  proposed  to  deliver  to  them. 
The  number  present  has  been  variously  estimated  at 
from  one  to  five  thousand. 

“  In  this  address  I  stated  to  them  how,  and  in  what, 
their  functionaries  had  violated  the  laws.  Also,  the 
many  scandalous  reports  in  circulation  against  them, 
and  that  these  reports,  whether  true* or  false,  were 
generally  believed  by  the  people.  I  distinctly  stated 
ta  them  the  amount  of  hatred  and  prejudice  which  pre¬ 
vailed  everywhere  against  them,  and  the  causes  of  it, 
at  length. 

“  I  also  told  them  plainly  and  emphatically,  that  if 
any  vengeance  should  be  attempted,  openly  or  secretly 
against  the  persons  or  property  of  the  citizens  who  had 


110  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

i 

taken  part  against  their  leaders,  that  the  public  hatred 
and  excitement  were  such,  that  thousands  would  as¬ 
semble  for  the  total  destruction  of  their  city  and  the 
extermination  of  their  people ;  and  that  no  power  in 
the  State  would  be  able  to  prevent  it.  During  this  ad¬ 
dress  some  impatience  and  resentment  were  manifested 
by  the  Mormons,  at  the  recital  of  the  various  reports 
enumerated  concerning  them,  which  they  strenuously 
and  indignantly  denied  to  be  true.  They  claimed  to 
be  a  law-abiding  people,  and  insisted  that  as  they 
looked  to  the  law  alone  for  their  protection,  so  were 
they  careful  themselves  to  observe  its  provisions.  Upon 
the  conclusion  of  this  address,  I  proposed  to  take  a  vote 
on  the  question  whether  they  would  strictly  observe 
the  laws,  even  in  opposition  to  their  Prophet  and 
leaders.  The  vote  was  unanimous  in  favor  of  this 
proposition. 

“  The  anti-Mormons  contended  that  such  a  vote  from 
the  Mormons  signified  nothing;  and  truly  the  subse¬ 
quent  history  of  that  people  showed  clearly  that  they 
were  loudest  in  their  professions  of  attachment  to  the 
law,  when  they  were  guilty  of  the  greatest  extrava¬ 
gances  ;  and  in  fact,  that  they  were  so  ignorant  and 
stupid  about  matters  of  law,  that  they  had  no  means  of 
judging  of  the  legality  of  their  conduct,  only  as  they 
were  instructed  by  their  spiritual  leaders. 

“  A  short  time  before  sundown  we  departed  on  our 
return  to  Carthage.  When  we  had  proceeded  two 
miles,  we  met  two  individuals,  one  of  them  a  Mormon, 
who  informed  us  that  the  Smiths  had  been  assassinated  in 
jail,  about  five  or  six  o’clock  of  that  day.  The  intelli- 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


Ill 


gence  seemed  to  strike  every  one  with  a  kind  of  dumbness. 
As  to  myself  it  was  perfectly  astounding;  and  I  an¬ 
ticipated  the  very  worst  consequences  from  it.  The 
Mormons  had  been  represented  to  me  as  a  lawless, 
infatuated  and  fanatical  people,  not  governed  by  the 
ordinary  motives  which  influence  the  rest  of  mankind. 
If  so,  most  likely  an  exterminating  war  would  ensue, 
and  the  whole  land  would  be  covered  with  desolation. 
Acting  upon  this  supposition,  it  was  my  duty  to  pro¬ 
vide  as  well  as  I  could  for  the  event.  I  therefore  took 
the  two  messengers  in  custody  back  to  Carthage,  in 
order  to  gain  time  and  make  such  arrangements  as 
could  be  made,  to  prevent  any  sudden  explosion  of 
Mormon  excitement.  I  also  despatched  messengers  to 
Warsaw,  to  advise  the  citizens  of  the  event.  But  the 
people  there  knew  all  about  it,  and,  like  myself,  feared 
a  general  attack.  The  women  and  children  were  moved 
across  the  river,  and  a  committee  despatched  that  night 
to  Quincy  for  assistance.  The  next  morning  by  day¬ 
light,  the  ringing  of  the  bells  in  the  city  of  Quincy  an¬ 
nounced  a  public  meeting.  The  people  assembled  in 
great  numbers.  The  Warsaw  committee  stated  to  the 

O 

meeting,  that  a  party  of  Mormons  had  attempted  to 
rescue  the  Smiths  out  of  jail ;  that  a  party  of  Missourians 
and  others  had  killed  the  prisoners  to  prevent  their 
escape  ;  that  the  Governor  and  his  party  were  at  Nau- 
voo,  at  the  time  when  intelligence  of  the  fact  was 
brought  there;  that  they  had  been  attacked  by  the 

INauvoo  Legion,  and  had  retreated  to  a  house  wdiere 
they  were  then  closely  besieged.  That  the  Governor 
had  sent  out  word  that  he  could  maintain  his  position 


112  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERfES 

for  two  days,  and  would  be  certain  to  be  massacred  if 
assistance  did  not  arrive  by  the  end  of  that  time.  It 
is  unnecessary  to  say  that  this  entire  story  was  a  fabri¬ 
cation.  The  effect  of  it,  however,  was  that  by  ten  o’clock 
on  the  28th  of  June,  between  two  and  three  hundred 
men  from  Quincy,  under  command  of  Major  Flood, 
embarked  on  board  a  steamboat  for  Nauvoo,  to  assist 
in  raising  the  siege,  as  they  honestly  believed. 

66  Upon  hearing  of  the  assassination  of  the  Smiths,  I 
was  sensible  that  my  command  was  at  an  end;  that  my 
destruction  was  meditated,  as  well  as  that  of  the  Mor¬ 
mons  ;  and  that  I  could  not  reasonably  confide  longer  in 
one  party  or  the  other.  I  am  convinced  that  it  was  the 
expectation  that  the  Mormons  would  assassinate  me,  on  . 
the  supposition  that  I  had  planned  the  murder  of  the 
Smiths.  Hence  the  conspirators  committed  their  act 
while  I  was  at  Nauvoo. 

“It  was  many  days  after  the  assassination  of  the 
Smiths  before  the  circumstances  of  the  murder  became 
fully  known.  It  then  appeared  that,  agreeably  to  pre¬ 
vious  orders,  the  posse  at  W arsaw  had  marched  on  the 
morning  of  the  27th  of  June  in  the  direction  of  Gold¬ 
en’s  Point,  with  a  view  to  join  the  force  from  Carthage, 
the  whole  body  then  to  be  marched  into  Nauvoo. 
When  they  had  gone  eight  miles,  they  were  met  by  the 
order  to  disband ;  and  learning,  at  the  same  time,  that 
.  the  Governor  was  absent  at  Nauvoo,  about  two  hun¬ 
dred  of  these  men,  many  of  them  disguised  by  blacking 
their  faces  with  powder  and  mud,  hastened  immediately 
to  Carthage.  There  they  encamped  at  some  distance 
from  the  village,  and  soon  learned  that  one  of  the  com- 


DEATH  OF  JOSEPH  SMITH 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


113 


panies  left  as  a  guard  had  disbanded  and  returned  to 
their  homes;  the  other  company,  the  Carthage  Grays, 
was  stationed  by  the  Captain  in  the  public  square,  a 
hundred  and  fifty  yards  from  the  jail,  whilst  eight  men 
were  detailed  by  him,  under  the  command  of  Sergeant 
Franklin  A.  Worrell,  to  guard  the  prisoners.  A  com-  • 
munication  was  soon  established  between  the  conspirat¬ 
ors  and  the  company ;  and  it  was  arranged  that  the 
guard  should  have  their  guns  charged  with  blank  car¬ 
tridges,  and  fire  at  the  assailants  when  they  attempted 
to  enter  the  jail.  General  Deming,  who  was  left  in 
command,  being  deserted  by  some  of  his  troops,  and 
perceiving  the  arrangement  with  the  others,  and  having 
no  force  upon  which  he  could  rely,  for  fear  of  his  life, 
retired  from  the  village.  The  conspirators  came  up, 
jumped  the  slight  fence  around  the  jail,  were  fired 
upon  by  the  guard,  which,  according  to  arrangement, 
was  overpowered  immediately,  and  the  assailants  en¬ 
tered  the  prison,  to  the  door  of  the  room,  where  the 
two  prisoners  were  confined,  with  two  of  their  friends, 
who  voluntarily  bore  them  company.  An  attempt  was 
made  to  break  open  the  door ;  but  J oe  Smith  being 
armed  with  a  six  barrelled  pistol,  furnished  by  his 
friends,  fired  several  times  as  the  door  was  bursted 
open,  and  wounded  three  of  the  assailants.  At  the 
same  time  several  shots  were  fired  into  the  room,  by 
some  of  which  John  Taylor  received  four  wounds  and 
Hiram  Smith  was  instantly  killed.  Joe  Smith  now 
attempted  to  escape  by  jumping  out  of  the  second-story 
window ;  but  the  fall  so  stunned  him  that  he  was  un¬ 
able  to  arise,  and,  being  placed  in  a  sitting  posture  by 
8 


114  LIFE  IN  UTAH  ;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

the  conspirators  below,  they  despatched  him  with  four 
balls  shot  through  his  body. 

“  Thus  fell  Joe  Smith,  the  most  successful  impostor 
in  modern  times;  a  man  who,  though  ignorant  and 
coarse,  had  some  great  natural  parts,  which  fitted  him 
for  temporary  success,  hut  which  were  so  obscured  and 
counteracted  by  the  inherent  corruption  and  vices  of 
his  nature,  that  he  never  could  succeed  in  establishing 
a  system  of  policy  which  looked  to  permanent  success 
in  the  future.  His  lusts,  his  love  of  money  and  power, 
always  set  him  to  studying  present  gratification  and 
convenience,  rather  than  the  remote  consequences  of 
his  plans.  It  seems  that  no  power  of  intellect  can 
save  a  corrupt  man  from  this  error.  The  strong 
cravings  of  the  animal  nature  will  never  give  fair 
play  to  a  fine  understanding;  the  judgment  is  never 
allowed  to  choose  that  good  which  is  far  away,  in  pre¬ 
ference  to  enticing  evil  near  at  hand.  And  this  may 
be  considered  a  wise  ordinance  of  Providence,  by  which 
the  counsels  of  talented  but  corrupt  men  are  defeated 
in  the  very  act  which  promised  success. 

“  It  must  not  be  supposed  that  the  pretended  Prophet 
practiced  the  tricks  of  a  common  impostor ;  that  he 
was  a  dark  and  gloomy  person,  with  a  long  beard,  a 
grave,  and  severe  aspect,  and  a  reserved  and  saintly 
carriage  of  his  person ;  on  the  contrary  he  was  full  of 
levity,  even  to  boyish  romping;  dressed  like  a  dandy, 
and  at  times  drank  like  a  sailor  and  swore  like  a 
pirate.  He  could,  as  occasion  required,  be  exceedingly 
meek  in  his  deportment,  and  then  again  rough  and 
boisterous  as  a  highway  robber;  being  always  able  to 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


115 


satisfy  his  followers  of  the  propriety  of  his  conduct. 
He  always  quailed  before  power,  and  was  arrogant  to 
weakness.  At  times  he  could  put  on  the  air  of  a  peni¬ 
tent,  as  if  feeling  the  deepest  humiliation  for  his  sins, 
and  suffering  unutterable  anguish,  and  indulging  in 
the  most  gloomy  forebodings  of  eternal  woe.  At  such 
times,  he  would  call  for  the  prayers  of  the  brethren  in 
his  behalf,  with  a  wild  and  fearful  energy  and  earnest- 
jness.  He  was  full  six  feet  high,  strongly  built,  and 
uncommonly  well  muscled.  No  doubt  he  was  as  much 
indebted  for  his  influence  over  an  ignorant  people,  to 
the  superiority  of  his  physical  vigor,  as  to  his  greater 
cunning  and  intellect. 

“His  followers  were  divided  into  the  leaders  and 
the  led ;  the  first  division  embraced  a  numerous  class 
of  broken-down,  unprincipled  men  of  talents,  to  be 
found,  in  every  country,  who,  bankrupt  in  character 
and  fortune,  had  nothing  to  lose  by  deserting  the 
known  religions,  and  carving  out  a  new  one  of  their 
own.  They  were  mostly  infidels,  who,  holding  all  re¬ 
ligions  in  derision,  believed  they  had  as  good  a  right 
as  Christ  or  Mahomet,  or  any  of  the  founders  of  former 
systems,  to  create  one  for  themselves;  and  if  they 
could  impose  it  upon  mankind,  to  live  upon  the  labor 
of  their  dupes.  Those  of  the  second  division  were  the 
credulous,  wondering  part  of  men,  whose  easy  belief 
and  admiring  natures  are  always  the  victims  of  novelty 
in  whatever  shape  it  may  come ;  who  have  a  capacity 
to  believe  any  strange  and  wonderful  matter,  if  it  only 
be  new,  whilst  the  wonders  of  former  ages  command 
neither  faith  nor  reverence ;  they  are  men  of  feeble 


116  LIFE  IN  UTAH  ;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

purposes,  readily  subjected  to  the  will  of  the  strong, 
giving  themselves  up  entirely  to  the  direction  of  their 
leaders ;  and  this  accounts  for  the  very  great  influence 
of  those  leaders  in  controling  them.  In  other  respects 
some  of  the  Mormons  were  abandoned  rogues,  who  had 
taken  shelter  in  Nauvoo,  as  a  convenient  place  for  the 
headquarters  of  their  villany ;  and  others  were  good, 
honest,  industrious  people,  who  were  the  sincere  vic¬ 
tims  of  artful  delusion.  Such  as  these  were  more  the 
proper  objects  of  pity  than  persecution.  With  them, 
their  religious  belief  was,  a  kind  of  insanity ;  and  cer¬ 
tainly  no  greater  calamity  can  befall  a  human  being 
than  to  have  a  mind  so  constituted  as  to  be  made  the 
sincere  dupe  of  a  religious  imposture.” 

It  were  vain  to  attempt  to  describe  the  mingled 
feelings  of  grief  and  rage  which  agitated  the  people  of 
Nauvoo,  when  the  death  of  Joe  Smith  was  announced 
there.  All  his  errors  and  tyrannies  seemed  to  be 
obliterated  from  their  minds ;  he  had  “  sealed  the  truth 
with  his  blood,”  and  stood  henceforth  a  sainted  martyr. 
The  spiritual  wives  of  the  dead  Prophet  filled  the  city 
with  their  cries,  but  his  lawful  wife  Emma  was  quiet 
and  resigned.  When  Joseph  and  Hyrum  retreated 
across  the  river  to  avoid  the  constable  first  sent  from 
Carthage,  she  had  joined  with  the  Apostle  William 
Marks  in  writing  them  an  indignant  letter,  in  which 
she  charged  them  as  “  cowardly  shepherds,  who  had 
left  the  sheep  in  danger  and  fled.”  This  statement 
rests  upon  the  testimony  of  Joseph  F.  Smith,  son  of 
Hyrum,  now  an  Apostle  at  Salt  Lake,  who  adds : 
a  When  Joseph  saw  that  letter  his  great  heart  almost 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


117 


bursted,  and  he  said,  ‘  If  that  is  all  my  wife  and  friends 
care  for  my  life,  then  I  don’t  care  for  it,’  and  returned 
and  gave  himself  up.” 

The  whole  people  turned  out,  in  deep  mourning,  and 
with  every  demonstration  of  grief,  and  the  remains  of 
Joseph  and  Hyrum  were  honored  with  a  magnificent 
funeral.  Joseph  was  thirty-nine,  and  Hyrum  forty-four 
years  old.  In  the  short  space  of  fifteen  years  Joe 
Smith  and  his  coadjutors  had  brought  forth  a  new 
Bible,  ordained  a  new  morality,  established  a  new 
theology,  and  founded  a  Church  with  missions  in  half 
the  civilized  world.  Organized  in  1830,  the  Church, 
at  the  time  of  their  death,  numbered  probably  two 
hundred  thousand  throughout  the  world.  The  Mor¬ 
mons  themselves  claimed  half  a  million.  But  they 
have  probably  never  exceeded  the  former  number  since 
that  time.  Under  the  lead  of  Brigham  Young  they 
made  tolerable  progress  for  a  few  years,  but  are  certainly 
losing  in  numbers  at  present.  In  the  very  germ  of  the 
new  sect  was  planted  a  fatal  principle  of  progress  in 
evil,  which,  by  its  appeal  to  the  vagaries  and  vices  of 
men,  gave  a  predisposition  to  rapid  rise  and  the 
assurance  of  early  decay.  From  a  living  and  erring 
Prophet  of  personal  prowess  and  prestige,  the  progress 
was  regular  and  natural  to  intrigue,  grossness  and 
materialism;  materialism  and  sanctified  lust  necessi¬ 
tated  polygamy,  and  polygamy  has  in  the  perfect  order 
of  nature  proved  the  mother  of  incest  and  blood 
atonement.  From  the  worship  of  a  human  demigod 
of  passion,  under  a  light  and  false  mantle  of  religion, 
the  descent  was  easy  to  the  worship  of  only  sensual 


118  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

forms  and  practices.  There  is  nothing  more  surprising 
in  it  than  in  the  progress  from  the  serpent’s  egg  to  the 
deadly  viper.  Nor  is  it  strange  that  the  sect  increased 
rapidly;  every  century,  and  almost  every  generation, 
has  witnessed  the  sudden  rise  of  a  corrupt  and  law- 
defying  sect;  and  modern  society  still  presents  ample 
materials.  As  like  produces  like,  and  everything  its 
kind  in  nature,  so  the  evil-hearted  and  credulous  will 
be  led  to  worse  evil  by  any  religion  that  does  not 
convert  and  reform.  The  various  sects,  too,  have  lost 
much  of  that  burning  and  aggressive  vigor  which 
distinguished  their  rise ;  and  redemptive  agencies  have 
not,  in  all  respects,  kept  pace  with  sinful  allurement, 
and  a  fair  field  has  been  left  for  delusion.  The 
minister  in  many  cases  still  travels  on  horseback,  while 
the  devil  goes  by  rail.  With  all  the  power  of  evan¬ 
gelical  organization  and  gospel  at  work,  Satan  too  often 
rides  upon  the  whirlwind  of  popular  passion,  and 
subsidizes  by  trick  and  prejudice  the  very  enthusiasm 
of  man’s  nature. 

The  Methodists,  who  formerly  prided  themselves  on 
a  hearty  simplicity  and  earnest  work  among  the  masses, 
have  too  often  attained  to  the  elegant  conservatism  of 
the  Old  Mother  ;  they  are  in  some  places  fixed  almost  in 
gilded  formalism,  and  in  others  reduced  to  the  preju¬ 
diced  following  after  traditions  of  religion,  both  lacking 
much  the  kindling  of  the  “  fire  from  the  altar.” .  The 
Baptists,  who  were  also  the  hardy  pioneers,  have  so  en¬ 
trenched  themselves  about  as  to  be  separated  from  other 
denominations  in  sympathy,  and  almost  from  the  world, 
leaving  themselves  open,  at  least,  to  the  charge  of  follow- 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


119 


mg  “  the  water-god  of  exclusive  errorists.”  The  Pres¬ 
byterians,  whose  universal  suffrage  should  be  peculiarly 
suited  to  the  genius  of  our  whole  people,  seem  to  have 
struck  but  a  certain  class  of  quietly  reserved  tastes ;  and 
they  appear  to  the  world  as  much  interested  in  preserv¬ 
ing  the  authority  of  an  ancient  Confession  of  Faith  as  in 
vitalizing  their  republicanism  for  the  conversion  of  the 
people.  The  Campbellites  have  developed  a  controver¬ 
sial  spirit  which  may  well  be  suspected  of  having  gone 
beyond  a  mere  zeal  for  the  truth.  The  Episcopalians, 
with  an  organization  essentially  monarchical  in  form, 
looking  to  its  dignitaries  for  authority  and  power,  di¬ 
vided  even  here  as  to  the  policy  of  carrying  this  princi¬ 
ple  farther,  cannot  yet  be  said  to  be  fully  naturalized  as 
an  American  church.  All  have  attained  to  a  more 
formal,  or  sober  and  intellectual  sort  of  religion.  Nor 
should  we  quarrel  with  this,  of  itself.  Intellectual  men 
must  have  an  intellectual  faith  ;  a  mere  emotional  ex¬ 
perience  is  quite  impossible  to  them,  nor  would  it  con¬ 
tent  them.  Notwithstanding  this,  the  Unitarians,  a  sect 
whose  faith  is  more  purely  one  of  philosophy  and  taste, 
have  shown  little  vitality  in  extending  their  bounds. 
There  is  still  the  great  mass  of  men  who  will  be  content 
with  nothing  short  of  a  simple  religion,  warmed  with  a 
generous  enthusiasm ;  and  this,  in  the  hands  or  under 
the  direction  of  corrupt  or  crazy  men,  becomes  a  wild, 
fierce  fanaticism.  Not  that  religion  should  accommodate 
the  vices  of  human  nature  ;  but  while  it  reforms  them 
it  should  give  virtuous  direction  to  that  enthusiasm 
which  will  otherwise  rend  and  tear  them.  It  is  not  at 
all  too  late  for  another  suscessful  delusion.  Millions 


120  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

pant  for  novelty,  for  a  personal  god ,  for  present  light 
and  prophecy,  for  something  harmonious  entirely  with 
our  own  day  and  nation,  more  real,  more  tangible,  not 
a  mere  matter  of  two  thousand  years  of  church  erudi¬ 
tion  and  history,  grand  as  they  are  in  the  triumphs  of 
an  improving  civilization. 

In  the  midst  of  such  excitement  in  the  West  came 
the  impostor,  and  to  the  lowest  manifestation  of  this 
want  Mormonism  was  addressed.  But  Mormonism 
could  never  be  a  success  in  America,  because  it  contro¬ 
verted  the  inherent  American  idea ;  it  turned  back  to 
sensualism  for  its  inspiration,  and  to  despotism  for  its 
model.  Had  it  been  founded  on  progressive  instead  of 
retrograde  ideas,  had  it  developed  individuality  and 
personal  freedom,  had  it  claimed  a  higher  consideration 
for  the  feminine  in  creation  and  a  more  perfect  inde¬ 
pendence  for  woman,  had  it  stepped  forward  and  not 
back,  then  it  might  have  helped  reform  all  America,  and 
founded  a  permanent,  new  order. 

The  religious  public  may  then  be  re-assured ;  Mor¬ 
monism  is  not  the  religion  or  sect  which  is  to  play  havoc 
among  existing  systems.  But  the  signs  of  the  times 
indicate  a  new  or  modified  phase  of  religion.  We  will 
have  a  distinctly  American  Church.  The  Roman  Em¬ 
pire  Christianized  made  Roman  Catholicism,  which  has 
been  reformed  as  its  people  have  in  the  governments ; 
Russia  made  the  finished  Greek  system ;  Italy  is  Ultra¬ 
montane  Catholic;  England  has  the  Establishment; 
Scandinavia  has  the  Lutheran  Church ;  each  nation  has 
developed  one  central,  theologic  and  ecclesiastical  idea, 
and  we  are  not  yet  so  fully  completed  and  individual- 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


121 


ized,  as  to  be  without  the  same  want  and  yearning.  Per- 
;  haps  one  of  the  present  sects  will  modify  and  advance 
j  to  the  needed  place ;  or  from  the  spirit  of  union  in  many , 
j  may  come  the  ascendant  and  satisfying  one.  The  Church 
,  of  the  future  must  be  both  intellectual  and  emotional ; 
it  must  look  to  the  future  for  its  hope,  and  to  our  own 
land  for  its  governing  polity,  and  not  to  worn  out  sys¬ 
tems  which  have  proved  too  weak  for  earthly  means ; 
as  truth  is  immortal  it  must  look  only  for  new  develop¬ 
ments  of  truth  ;  it  must  purify  the  marriage  relation, 
and  recognize  the  political  and  social  independence  of 
woman  ;  it  must  believe  in  sanctification,  if  even  it  does 
not  claim  to  have  obtained  it,  and  it  must  make  un¬ 
ceasing  war  upon  every  species  of  oppression,  and  every 
form  of  iu temperance.  Such  a,£!hurch  must  have  more 
truth  than  error  both  in  method  and  creed,  and  for  it, 
a  broad  field  is  open. 

But  Mormonism  was  a  mushroom  growth  upon  a  rich 
bed  of  decay,  which  sprang  up  merely  because  some¬ 
thing  better  was  not  planted ,  but  had  no  enduring  root. 
It  might  flourish  for  half  a  century  or  more,  upon  the 
scum  of  vice  in  America  and  the  ignorance  of  Europe, 
but  could  enjoy  at  best  but  a  sort  of  living  death,  and 
must  soon  wither  and  decay. 


122 


LIFE  IN  UTAH  *  OR  THE  MYSTERIES 


CHAPTER  IY. 

TWO  YEARS  OF  STRIFE - EXODUS  FROM  ILLINOIS. 

* 

No  Successor  to  the  Prophet— David  Hyrum  Smith,  the  “  Son  of  Promise” 
— Contest  for  the  Leadership— Diplomacy  of  Brigham  Young — Curious 
Trials— All  of  Brigham’s  Opponents  “cut  off” — Troubles  Renewed — 
Fights,  Outrages,  Robberies  and  Murder — Another  Election  and  more 
Treachery — Singular  “Wolf  Hunt” — Capture  and  Trial  of  Smith’s 
Murderers — Of  the  Mormon  Rioters — Failure  and  Defects  of  the  Law — 
Further  Outrages  on  Gentiles — Trouble  in  Adams  County — The  “One¬ 
ness  ” — The  People  of  Adams  Drive  out  the  Mormons — Revenge  by  the 
Mormons — Murders  of  McBratney,  Worrell,  Wilcox  and  Daubeneyer — 
Retaliation,  and  Murder  of  Durfee — The  Mormons  Ravage  Hancock — 
Flight  of  the  Gentiles — Militia  Called  and  Hancock  put  under  Martial 
Law — The  Mormons  Begin  to  Leave  Illinois — Fresh  Quarrels — More 
Mormon  Treachery — Bombardment  of  Nauvoo,  and  Final  Expulsion  of 
the  Mormons. 

The  hostility  of  the  Gentiles  suddenly  relaxed,  and 
a  brief  period  of  repose  followed.  But  it  was  necessary 
to  provide  for  the  government  of  the  Church.  The 
•theocratic  polity  had  been  fully  established  by  Joe 
Smith,  but  no  provision  made  for  a  successor.  The 
Prophet  had,  it  is  true,  laid  his  hands  on  the  head  of 
his  eldest  son  Joseph  and  ordained  him.*  a  king  and 
priest  in  his  stead,  and  but  a  short  time  before  his 
death  he  stated  that,  “the  man  was  not  born  who  was 
to  lead  this  people,  but  of  Emma  Smith — then  promising 
him  an  heir — should  be  born  a  son  who  would  succeed 
in  the  Presidency  after  a  season  of  disturbance.”  This 
son,  named  from  his  father’s  direction  David  Hyrum, 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


123 


was  born  at  the  Mansion  House,  on  the  17th  of  No¬ 
vember  following.  This  is  the  “son  of  promise”  whom 
thousands  of  the  Mormons  still  regard  as  the  predes¬ 
tined  leader  who  is  finally  to  bring  them  back  to 
Jackson  County. 

But  an  immediate  leader  was  needed.  Many  had 
revelations  that  Joseph  would,  like  the  Saviour,  rise 
from  the  dead,  and  some  reported  that  they  had  seen 
him  coursing  the  air  on  a  great  white  horse.  But  all 
these  were  finally  condemned  by  the  priesthood  as 
“lying  revelations.”  William  Smith,  the  Prophet’s 
only  surviving  brother,  claimed  the  succession  on  that 
account.  Sidney  Rigdon,  who  was  one  of  the  First 
Presidency,  from  his  peculiar  relations  to  the  Church, 
asserted  the  strongest  claim.  James  Strang  had  an 
immediate  revelation  that  he  was  to  lead  the  people 
into  Wisconsin.  Lyman  Wight  received  a  divine 
order  to  go  to  Texas,  and  Gladden  Bishop,  John  E. 
Page,  Cutler,  Hedrick,  Brewster  and  others  laid  in 
their  claims. 

On  the  15th  of  August,  the  Twelve  Apostles,  headed 
by  Brigham  Young,  addressed  an  “  Encyclical  letter  to 
all  the  Saints  in  the  world,”  and  the  7th  of  October,  the 
Saints  of  Nauvoo  and  vicinity  met  in  council  to  deter¬ 
mine  who  should  take  control.  Brigham  had  been 
absent  in  Boston,  and  Rigdon,  very  busy  among  the 
people,  had  succeeded  in  getting  a  special  convention 
called  ;  but  Brigham  arrived  the  very  day  of  the  meet¬ 
ing,  and  signally  defeated  Rigdon.  The  people  voted 
that  the  government  should  for  the  present  be  in  the 
“  College  of  Twelve  Apostles,”  which  was  in  effect 


124  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

making  Brigham  chief  ruler.  The  next  day  Brigham 
made  a  savage  address  against  Sidney  Rigdon,  who, 
meanwhile,  had  a  revelation  that  all  the  wealthy  mem¬ 
bers  were  to  follow  him  to  western  Pennsylvania,  and 
establish  a  new  “  stake  ”  for  the  others  to  gather  to  ! 
Brigham  then  denounced  Rigdon  and  all  his  revelations 
as  from  the  devil,  and  moved  that  he  be  “  cut  off.” 
Nearly  a  hundred  voted  in  the  negative,  when  it  was 
immediately  resolved  they  were  “  in  a  spirit  of  apos¬ 
tasy,”  and  they  were  “  cut  off.”  It  was  then  proposed 
and  unanimously  carried,  that  “  all  who  should  hereafter 
defend  Rigdon  should  be  cut  off,”  which  ended  the  so- 
called  election.  Rigdon  took  a  small  band  to  Pennsyl¬ 
vania,  and  most  of  the  other  aspirants  also  took  off 
various  sects,  known  in  the  Brighamite  church  as  “  Glad- 
denites,”  “  Strangites,”  “  Brewsterites,”  u  Cutlerites,” 
66  Gatherers,”  etc.  Most  of  these  sects  have  fallen  to 
pieces.  The  Times  and  Seasons ,  a  weekly  periodical, 
had  been  established  at  Nauvoo  soon  after  its  settlement, 
and  in  the  fifth  volume  may  be  found  a  full  account  of 
these  curious  trials. 

Brigham  Young  now  took  entire  control,  hastened  the 
completion  of  the  upper  rooms  of  the  Temple,  and 
hurried  the  people  through  their  “  endowments.”  These 
consist  of  a  mystical  ceremony  representing  the  various 
stages  in  man’s  progress,  during  which  the  candidates 
are  initiated  and  passed  to  the  various  degrees  of  the 
priesthood,  and  sworn  to  obey  all  orders  of  their  supe¬ 
riors.  The  penalties  for  violation  of  these  oaths  are, 
according  to  the  uniform  testimony  of  various  apostates, 
“  having  the  throat  cut,”  the  “  bowels  slit  across,”  the 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


125 


“  heart  plucked  out/’  or  the  “  blood  spilt  upon  the 
ground,”  according  to  the  several  degrees.  Brigham 
consolidated  his  power  rapidly,  but  by  the  opening  of 
1845,  outside  hostility  again  began  to  be  felt,  and  the 
leaders  secretly  resolved  to  abandon  Nauvoo. 

The  malcontents  from  the  city,  and  those  who  had 
suffered,  would  run  away  to  anti-Mormon  neighbor¬ 
hoods,  and  stir  up  hatred  against  the  Saints.  Gentiles, 
who  owned  property  near  Nauvoo,  found  it  practically 
worthless,  for  they  could  sell  it  to  no  other  Gentiles ; 
and  in  the  county  at  large,  where  the  Mormons  settled 
around  an  old  resident,  his  society  was  gone ;  he  could 
have  no  church  nor  school  privileges;  he  could  not 
affiliate  or  be  neighborly  with  the  new  comers,  and 
often  suspected  them  of  trespass  and  constant  annoyance. 
His  land  lost  half  its  value,  and  the  near  presence  of 
foreigners  of  the  fanatic  sect  caused  him  to  be  forever 
on  his  guard.  It  became  a  settled  conviction  in  the 
minds  of  the  people  that  they  could  have  no  peaceful 
enjoyment  of  their  property  while  the  Saints  remained. 
Gentiles  combined  in  groups  for  society  and  protection, 
and  Mormons  did  the  same  at  command  of  the  Church, 
to  which  they  were  bound  by  such  absolute  oaths ;  and 
this,  of  course,  led  to  local  and  sectional  hatred,  which, 
among  people  who  habitually  wore  arms,  soon  culmi¬ 
nated  in  blood.  Men  became  afraid  to  stir  abroad,  ex¬ 
cept  in  squads;  riots  and  regular  skirmishes,  amounting 
almost  to  pitched  battles,  took  place ;  blood  was  shed, 
lives  were  lost,  and  the  exasperation  of  both  parties  was 
raised  to  the  highest  pitch.  The  Western  press  teemed 
with  accounts  of  the  enormities  of  Nauvoo,  no  doubt, 


126  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

greatly  exaggerated,  but  still  with  considerable  basis  of 
truth.  A  horrible  murder  was  committed  in  Lee 
County,  Iowa,  and  the  perpetrators  were  traced  directly 
to  Nauvoo.  At  least  a  dozen  Mormons  swore  positively 
that  the  accused  were  in  that  city  at  the  time  of  the 
murder ;  and  yet  so  contradictory  was  their  testimony, 
and  so  plain  the  rest  of  the  evidence,  that  the  mur¬ 
derers,  two  brothers  named  Hodges,  were  convicted  and 
hanged  at  Montrose,  Iowa.  It  was  whispered  about 
that  they  would  be  rescued  by  a  Mormon  force,  and 
nearly  every  man  in  southern  Iowa,  then  but  eighty 
miles  wide,  the  rest  to  the  Missouri  being  Indian  coun¬ 
try,  attended  the  execution.  This  case  excited  all 
of  Iowa  as  well  as  Illinois  afresh  against  Nauvoo. 
Conspicuous  among  the  journals  of  that  period,  in 
advocating  the  expulsion  or  extermination  of  the  Mor¬ 
mons,  were  the  Sangamo  Journal,  Burlington  Hawk-eye , 
Quincy  Whig  and  Warsaw  Signal.  At  the  same  time, 
the  executive  of  the  State  was  accused  openly  of  favoring 
the  Mormons.  Perhaps  no  fact  in  Mormon  history  so 
fully  illustrates  the  blind  unreason  of  the  laity,  or  the 
corruption  and  treachery  of  their  leaders,  as  their  treat¬ 
ment  of  the  Governor,  Thomas  L.  Ford.  He  had  been 
elected  with  the  aid  of  their  votes,  and  had  always 
maintained  that  the  crusade  against  them  was  only  for 
political  effect ;  he  had  been  their  friend  in  most  diffi¬ 
cult  situations,  and  had  even  strained  the  facts  to  make 
a  sort  of  excuse  for  them ;  he  had  done  all  that  was 
supposed  necessary  to  save  the  Smiths,  and  had  risked 
his  popularity  and  life  to  bring  their  murderers  to  pun¬ 
ishment.  And  yet  they  are  never  weary  of  heaping 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM.  V21 

abuse  upon  him,  because  be  did  not  accede  to  other 
demands  on  their  part ;  they  generally  accuse  him  of 
conniving  at  the  murder  of  the  Smiths,  and  heap  exe¬ 
crations  upon  his  memory.  It  must  be  remembered, 
that  Governor  Ford  wrote  his  history  the  year  after 
|  the  Mormons  left,  that  it  is  not  so  much  a*  history  of 
the  State  as  a  defence  of  his  administration,  that,  pol¬ 
itically,  he  was  more  of  an  enemy  to  the  anti-Mormons 
of  western  Illinois  than  to  the  Mormons,  and  con- 
!  sequently  inclined  to  make  as  favorable  a  showing  as 
possible  for  the  latter.  With  this  comment,  or  caution 
rather,  I  return  to  his  account : 

# 

“  About  one  year  after  the  apostles  were  installed  in 
power,  they  abandoned  for  the  present  the  project  of 
converting  the  world  to  the  new  religion.  All  the 
missionaries  and  uiembers  abroad  were  ordered  home ; 

I  it  was  announced  that  the  world  had  rejected  the 
gospel  by  the  murder  of  the  Prophet  and  Patriarch, 

I  and  was  to  be  left  to  perish  in  its  sins.  In  the 
meantime,  both  before  and  after  this,  the  elders  at 
Nauvoo  quit  preaching  about  religion.  The  Mormons 
came  from  every  part  pouring  into  the  city ;  the  con¬ 
gregations  were  regularly  called  together  for  worship, 
but  instead  of  expounding  the  new  gospel,  the  zealous 
and  infuriated  preachers  now  indulged  only  in  curses 
and  strains  of  abuse  of  the  Gentiles,  and  it  seemed  to 
be  their  design  to  fill  their  followers  with  the  greatest 
amount  of  hatred  to  all  mankind  excepting  the  ‘  Saints.’ 
A  sermon  was  no  more  than  an  inflammatory  stump 
speech,  relating  to  their  quarrels  with  their  enemies, 
and  ornamented  with  an  abundance  of  profanity. 


128  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

From  my  own  personal  knowledge  of  this  people,  I 
can  say,  with  truth,  that  I  have  never  known  much  of 
any  of  their  leaders  who  was  not  addicted  to  profane 
swearing.  No  other  kind  of  discourses  than  these  were 
heard  in  the  city.  Curses  upon  their  enemies,  upon 
the  country,  upon  Government,  upon  all  public  officers, 
were  now  the  lessons  taught  by  the  elders,  to  inflame 
their  people  with  the  highest  degree  of  spite  and  malice 
against  all  who  were  not  of  the  Mormon  Church,  or  its 
obsequious  tools.  The  reader  can  readily  imagine  how 
a  city  of  fifteen  thousand  inhabitants  could  be  wrought 
up  and  kept  in  a  continual  rage  by  the  inflammatory 
harangues  of  its  leaders. 

“  In  the  meantime,  the  anti-Mormons  were  not  idle ; 
they  were  more  than  ever  determined  to  expel  the 
Mormons ;  and,  being  passionately  inflamed  against 
them,  they  made  many  applications  for  executive 
assistance.  On  the  other  hand,  the  Mormons  invoked 
the  assistance  of  Government  to  take  vengeance  upon 
the  murderers  of  the  Smiths.  The  anti-Mormons 
asked  the  Governor  to  violate  the  Constitution,  which 
he  was  sworn  to  support,  by  erecting  himself  into  a 
military  despot  and  exiling  the  Mormons.  The  Mor¬ 
mons  on  their  part,  in  their  newspapers,  invited  the 
Governor  to  assume  absolute  power,  by  taking  a 
summary  vengeance  upon  their  enemies,  by  shooting 
fifty  or  a  hundred  of  them,  without  judge  or  jury. 
Both  parties  were  thoroughly  disgusted  with  Consti¬ 
tutional  provisions,  restraining  them  from  summary 
vengeance ;  each  was  ready  to  submit  to  arbitrary 
power,  to  the  fiat  of  a  dictator,  to  make  me  a  king  for 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM.  129 

the  time  being,  or  at  least  that  I  might  exercise  the 
power  of  a  king,  to  abolish  both  the  forms  and  spirit 
of  free  government,  if  the  despotism  to  be  erected  upon 
its  ruins  could  only  be  wielded  for  their  benefit,  and  to 
take  vengeance  on  their  enemies. 

“Another  election  was  to  come  off  in  August,  1844, 
for  members  of  Congress  and  for  the  Legislature ;  and 
an  election  was  pending  throughout  the  nation  for  a 
President  of  the  United  States.  The  war  of  party  was 
never  more  fierce  and  terrible  than  during  the  pen¬ 
dency  of  these  elections.  As  a  means  of  allaying  the 
excitement,  and  making  the  question  more  managea¬ 
ble,  I  was  most  anxious  that  the  Mormons  should  not 
vote  at  this  election,  and  strongly  advised  them  against 
doing  so.  But  Col.  E.  D.  Taylor  went  to  their  city  a 
few  days  before  the  election,  and  the  Mormons  being 
ever  disposed  to  follow  the  worst  advice  they  could  get, 
were  induced  by  him  and  others  to  vote  for  all  the 
democratic  candidates.  Col.  Taylor  found  them  very 
hostile  to  the  Governor,  and  on  that  account  much  dis¬ 
posed  not  to  vote  at  this  election.  The  leading  Whig 
anti-Mormons  believing  that  I  had  an  influence  over 
the  Mormons,  for  the  purpose  of  destroying  it,  had  as¬ 
sured  them  that  the  Governor  had  planned  and  been 
favorable  to  the  murder  of  their  Prophet  and  Patriarch. 
The  Mormons  pretended  to  suspect  that  the  Governor 
had  given  some  countenance  to  the  murder,  or  at  least 
had  neglected  to  take  the  proper  precautions  to  pre¬ 
vent  it. 

“  In  the  course  of  the  Ml  of  1844,  the  anti-Mormon 

leaders  sent  printed  invitations  to  all  the  militia  cap- 
9  2 


130  LIFE  IN  UTAH  j  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

tains  in  Hancock,  and  to  the  captains  of  militia  in  all 
the  neighboring  counties  in  Illinois,  Iowa,  and  Mis¬ 
souri,  to  be  present  with  their  companies  at  a  great 
wolf  hunt  in  Hancock ;  and  it  was  privately  announced 
that  the  wolves  to  be  hunted  were  the  Mormons,  and 
Jack  Mormons.*  Preparations  were  made  for  assem¬ 
bling  several  thousand  men,  with  provisions  for  six 
days ;  and  the  anti-Mormon  newspapers,  in  aid  of  the 
movement,  commenced  anew  the  most  awful  accounts 
of  thefts  and  robberies,  and  meditated  outrages  by  the 
Mormons.  The  Whig  press  in  every  part  of  the.  United 
States  came  to  their  assistance.  The  Democratic  news¬ 
papers  and  the  leading  Democrats,  who  had  received  the 
benefit  of  the  Mormon  votes  to  their  party,  quailed 
under  the  tempest,  leaving  no  organ  for  the  correction 
of  public  opinion,  either  at  home  or  abroad,  except  the 
discredited  Mormon  newspaper  at  Nauvoo.  But  very 
few  of  my  prominent  Democratic  friends  would  dare  to 
come  up  to  the  assistance  of  their  Governor,  and  but  few 
of  them  dared  openly  to  vindicate  his  motives  in  en¬ 
deavoring  to  keep  the  peace.  They  were  willing  and 
anxious  for  Mormon  votes  at  elections,  but  they  were 
unwilling  to  risk  their  popularity  with  the  people,  by 
taking  a  part  in  their  favor,  even  when  law  and  justice 
and  the  Constitution  were  all  on  their  side.  Such 
being  the  odious  character  of  the  Mormons,  the  hatred 
of  the  common  people  against  them,  and  such  being 
the  pusillanimity  of  leading  men,  in  fearing  to  encoun¬ 
ter  it. 

a  In  t^is  state  of  the  case  I  applied  to  Brigadier-Gen- 


*  A  slang  name  applied  to  Gentiles  who  favor  the  Mormons. 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


131 


eral  J.  J.  Hardin  of  the  State  militia,  and  to  Colonels 
Baker  and  Merriman,  all  Whigs,  but  all  of  them  men  of 
military  ambition,  and  they  together  with  Colonel  Wil¬ 
liam  Weatherford,  a  Democrat,  with  my  own  exertions, 
succeeded  in  raising  about  five  hundred  volunteers ;  and 
thus  did  these  Whigs,  that  which  my  own  political 
friends  with  two  or  three  exceptions,  were  slow  to  do, 
from  a  sense  of  duty  and  gratitude. 

“  With  this  little  force  under  the  command  of  General 
Hardin,  I  arrived  in  Hancock  County  on  the  25th  of 
October.  The  malcontents  abandoned  their  design,  and 
all  the  leaders  of  it  fled  to  Missouri.  The  Carthage 
Grays  fled  almost  in  a  body,  carrying  their  arms  along 
with  them.  During  our  stay  in  the  county  the  anti- 
Mormons  thronged  into  the  camp,  and  conversed  freely 
with  the  men,  who  were  fast  infected  with  their  preju¬ 
dices,  and  it  was  impossible  to  get  any  of  the  officers 
to  aid  in  expelling  them.  Colonels  Baker,  Merriman 
and  Weatherford  volunteered  their  services  if  I  would 
go  with  them,  to  cross  with  a  force  into  Missouri,  to 
capture  three  of  the  anti-Mormon  leaders,  for  whose 
arrest  writs  had  been  issued  for  the  murder  of  the 
Smiths.  To  this  I  assented,  and  procured  a  boat  which 
was  sent  down  in  the  night,  and  secretly  landed  a  mile 
above  Warsaw.  Our  little  force  arrived  at  that  place 
about  noon ;  that  night  we  were  to  cross  the  Missouri 
at  Churchville,  and  seize  the  accused  there  encamped 
with  a  number  of  their  friends ;  but  that  afternoon 
Colonel  Baker  visited  the  hostile  camp,  and  on  his 
return  refused  to  partcipate  in  the  expedition,  and  so 
advised  his  friends.  There  was  no  authority  for  com- 


132  LIFE  IN  UTAH  ;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

pelling  men  to  invade  a  neighboring  State,  and  for  this 
cause,  much  to  the  vexation  of  myself  and  others,  the 
matter  fell  through.  It  seems  that  Colonel  Baker  had 
already  partly  arranged  the  terms  for  the  accused  to 
surrender.  They  were  to  be  taken  to  Quincy  for  ex¬ 
amination  under  a  military  guard ;  the  attorney  for 
the  people  was  to  be  advised  to  admit  them  to  bail, 
and  they  were  to  be  entitled  to  a  continuance  of  their 
trial  at  the  next  Court  at  Carthage ;  upon  this,  two 
of  the  accused  came  over  and  surrendered  themselves 
prisoners. 

“  I  employed  able  lawyers  to  hunt  up  the  testimony, 
procure  indictments  and  prosecute  the  offenders.  A 
trial  was  had  before  Judge  Young  in  the  summer  of 
1845.  The  Sheriff  and  panel  of  jurors  selected  by  the 
Mormon  Court  were  set  aside  for  prejudice,  a  new  panel 
was  ordered  and  elisors  were  appointed  for  this  purpose ; 
but  as  more  than  a  thousand  men  had  assembled  under 
arms  at  the  court,  to  keep  away  the  Mormons  and  their 
friends,  the  jury  was  made  up  of  these  military  followers 
of  the  court,  who  all  swore  that  they  had  never  formed 
or  expressed  an  opinion  as  to  the  guilt  or  innocence  of 
the  accused.  The  Mormons  had  one  principal  witness, 
who  was  with  the  troops  at  Warsaw,  had  marched  with 
them  until  they  were  disbanded,  heard  their  consultar 
tions,  went  before  them  to  Carthage  and  saw  them  mur¬ 
der  the  Smiths.  But  before  the  trial  came  on  they  had 
induced  him  to  become  a  Mormon;  and  being  much  more 
anxious  for  the  glorification  of  the  Prophet  than  to 
avenge  his  death,  the  leading  Mormons  made  him  pub¬ 
lish  a  pamphlet  giving  an  account  of  the  murder,  in 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


133 


which  he  professed  to  have  seen  a  bright  and  sMning 
light  descend  upon  the  head  of  Joe  Smith,  to  strike  some 
of  the  conspirators  with  blindness,  and  that  he  heard 
supernatural  voices  in  the  air  confirming  his  mission  as 
a  Prophet !  Having  published  this  in  a  book,  he  was 
compelled  to  swear  to  it  in  court,  which  of  course  de¬ 
stroyed  the  credit  of  his  evidence.  This  witness  was 
afterwards  expelled  from  the  Mormons,  but  no  doubt 
they  will  cling  to  his  evidence  in  favor  of  the  divine 
mission  of  the  Prophet.  Many  other  witnesses  were 
examined  who  knew  the  facts,  but,  under  the  influence 
of  the  demoralization  of  faction,  denied  all  knowledge 
of  them.  It  has  been  said,  that  faction  may  find  men 
honest,  but  it  scarcely  ever  leaves  them  so.  This  was 
verified  to  the  letter,  in  the  history  of  the  Mormon 
quarrel.  The  accused  were  all  acquitted. 

“  At  the  next  term,  the  leading  Mormons  were  tried 
and  acquitted  for  the  destruction  of  the  heretical  press. 
It  appears  that,  not  being  interested  in  objecting  to  the 
Sheriff  or  jury  selected  by  a  court  elected  by  them¬ 
selves,  they,  in  their  turn,  got  a  favorable  jury  deter¬ 
mined  upon  acquittal;  and  yet  the  Mormon  jurors  all 
swore  that  they  had  formed  no  opinion  as  to  the  guilt 
or  innocence  of  their  accused  friends.  It  appeared  that 
the  laws  furnished  the  means  of  suiting  each  party  with 
a  jury.  The  Mormons  could  have  a  Mormon  jury  to 
be  tried  by,  selected  by  themselves ;  and  the  anti-Mor¬ 
mons,  by  objecting  to  the  Sheriff  and  regular  panel, 
could  have  one  from  the  anti-Mormons.  Henceforth  no 
leading  man  on  either  side  could  be  arrested  without  the 
aid  of  an  army,  as  the  men  of  one  party  could  not 


134  .  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

safely  surrender  to  the  other  for  fear  of  being  murdered ; 
when  arrested  by  a  military  force,  the  Constitution  pro¬ 
hibited  a  trial  in  any  other  county  without  the  consent 
of  the  accused.  No  one  would  be  convicted  of  any 
crime  in  Hancock ;  and  this  put  an  end  to  the  adminis¬ 
tration  of  the  criminal  law  in  that  distracted  county. 
Government  was  at  an  end  there,  and  the  whole  com¬ 
munity  was  delivered  up  to  the  dominion  of  a  frightful 
anarchy.  If  the  whole  State  had  been  in  the  same 
condition,  then  indeed  would  have  been  verified  to  the 
letter  what  was  said  by  a  wit,  when  he  expressed  an 
opinion  that  the  people  were  neither  capable  of  gov¬ 
erning  themselves,  nor  of  being  governed  by  others.” 

Late  in  1845,  the  Mormon  Charters  were  revoked  by 
the  Legislature,  which  act  that  body  evidently  considered 
a  cure  for  all  the  evils  of  Mormonism. 

“  Nauvoo  was  now  a  city  of  about  15,000  inhabitants 
and  was  fast  increasing,  as  the  followers  of  the  Prophet 
were  pouring  into  it  from  all  parts  of  the  world ;  and 
there  were  several  other  settlements  and  villages  of  Mor¬ 
mons  in  Hancock  County.  Nauvoo  was  scattered  over 
about  six  square  miles,  a  part  of  it  being  built  upon  the 
flat,  skirting  and  fronting  on  the  Mississippi  River,  but 
the  greater  portion  of  it  upon  the  bluffs  back,  east  of 
the  river.  The  great  Temple,  which  is  said  to  have 
cost  a  million  of  dollars  in  money  and  labor,  occupied  a 
commanding  position  on  the  brow  of  this  bluff,  and 
overlooked  the  country  around  for  twenty  miles  in  Illi¬ 
nois  and  Iowa. 

u  The  anti-Mormons  complained  of  a  large  number  of 
larcenies  and  robberies.  The  Mormon  press  at  Nauvoo 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


135 


and  the  anti-Mormon  papers  at  Warsaw,  Quincy,  Spring- 
field,  Alton,  and  St.  Louis,  kept  up  a  constant  fire  at 
each  other ;  the  anti-Mormons  all  the  time  calling  upon 
the  people  to  rise  and  expel,  or  exterminate  the  Mormons. 
The  great  fires  in  Pittsburg  and  in  other  cities  about 
this  time,  were  seized  upon  by  the  Mormon  press  to 
countenance  the  assertion  that  the  Lord  had  sent  them 
to  manifest  his  displeasure  against  the  Gentiles ;  and  to 
hint  that  all  other  places  which  should  countenance 
the  enemies  of  the  Mormons,  might  expect  to  be 
visited  by  ‘  hot  drops  ’  of  the  same  description.  This 
was  interpreted  by  the  anti-Mormons  to  be  a  threat  by 
Mormon  incendiaries,  to  burn  down  all  cities  and  places 
not  friendly  to  their  religion.  About  this  time  also,  a 
suit  had  been  commenced  in  the  circuit  court  of  the 
United  States  against  some  of  the  Twelve  Apostles,  on 
a  note  given  in  Ohio.  The  deputy  marshal  went  to 
summon  the  defendants.  They  were  determined  not  to 
be  served  with  process,  and  a  great  meeting  of  their 
people  being  called,  outrageously  inflammatory  speeches 
were  made  by  the  leaders ;  the  marshal  was  threatened 
and  abused  for  intending  to  serve  a  lawful  process,  and 
here  it  was  publicly  declared  and  agreed  to  by  the 
Mormons,  that  no  more  process  should  be  served  in 
Nauvoo.  Also,  about  this  time,  a  leading  anti-Mormon 
by  the  name  of  Dr.  Marshall  made  an  assault  upon 
Gen.  Deming,  the  Sheriff  of  the  County,  and  was  killed 
by  the  Sheriff  in  repelling  the  assault.  The  Sheriff  was 
arrested  and  held  to  bail  by  Judge  Young,  for  man¬ 
slaughter;  though,  as  he  had  acted  strictly  in  self- 
defence,  no  one  seriously  believed  him  to  be  guilty 


136  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

of  any  crime  whatever.  But  Dr.  Marshall  had  many 
friends  disposed  to  revenge  his  death,  and  the  rage  of  the 
people  ran  very  high,  for  which  reason  it  was  thought 
best  by  the  judge  to  hold  the  Sheriff  to  bail  for  some¬ 
thing,  to  save  him  from  being  sacrificed  to  the  public 
fury. 

“  Not  long  after  the  trials  of  the  supposed  murderers 
of  the  Smiths,  it  was  discovered  on  the  trial  of  a  right 
of  property  near  Lima,  in  Adams  county,  by  Mormon 
testimony,  that  that  people  had  an  institution  in  their 
Church  called  a  “  Oneness,”  which  was  composed  of  an 
association  of  five  persons,  over  whom  one  wvas  appointed 
as  a  kind  of  guardian.  This  one  was  trustee  for  the  rest, 
was  to  own  all  the  property  of  the  association  ;  so  that 
if  it  were  levied  upon  by  an  execution  for  debt,  the 
.  Mormons  could  prove  that  the  property  belonged  to  one 
or  the  other  of  the  parties,  as  might  be  required  to  defeat 
the  execution.  And  not  long  after  this  discovery,  in  the 
fall  of  1845,  the  anti-Mormons  of  Lima  and  Green 
Plains  held  a  meeting  to  devise  means  for  the  expulsion 
of  the  Mormons  from  their  neighborhood.  They  ap¬ 
pointed  some  persons  of  their  own  number  to  fire  a  few 
shots  at  the  house  where  they  were  assembled ;  but  to 
do  it  in  such  a  way  as  to  hurt  none  who  attended  the 
meeting.  The  meeting  was  held,  the  house  was  fired  at, 
*  but  so  as  to  hurt  no  one  ;  and  the  anti-Mormons  sud¬ 
denly  breaking  up  their  meeting,  rode  all  over  the  coun¬ 
try,  spreading  the  dire  alarm  that  the  Mormons  had 
commenced  the  work  of  massacre  and  death. 

“  This  startling  intelligence  soon  assembled  a  mob, 
which  proceeded  to  warn  the  Mormons  to  leave  the 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


137 


neighborhood,  and  threatened  them  with  fire  and  sword 
if  they  remained.  A  very  poor  cl^s 
resided  there,  and  it  is  very  likely 


mons 

other 


inhabitants  were  annoyed  beyond  f| 

by  their  little  larcenies  and  roguerh 

refused  to  remove;  and  about  one  liu 

five  houses  and  hovels  were  burnt, 

obliged  to  flee  for  their  lives.  They 

a  state  of  utter  destitution,  carrying 

children,  aged  and  sick,  along  with  them  ~as"’best  they 

could.  The  sight  of  these  miserable  creatures  aroused 

the  wrath  of  the  Mormons  of  Nauvoo.  As  soon  as 

authentic  intelligence  of  these  events  reached  Spring- 

field,  I  ordered  General  Hardin  to  raise  a  force  and 

restore  the  rule  of  law.  But  whilst  this  force  was 

* 

gathering,  the  Sheriff  of  the  County  had  taken  the 
matter  in  hand.  General  Deming  had  died  not  long 
after  the  death  of  Dr.  Marshall,  and  the  Mormons  had 
elected  Jacob  B.  Backinstos  to  be  Sheriff  in  his  place. 
Being  just  now  regarded  as  the  political  leader  of  the 
Mormons,  Backinstos  was  hated  with  a  sincere  and 
thorough  hatred  by  the  opposite  party. 

“  When  the  burning  of  houses  commenced,  the  great 
body  of  the  anti-Mormons  expressed  themselves  strongly 
against  it,  giving  hopes  thereby  that  a  posse  of  anti- 
Mormons  could  be  raised  to  put  a  stop  to  such  incen¬ 
diary  and  riotous  conduct.  But  when  they  were  called 
on  by  the  new  Sheriff,  not  a  man  of  them  turned  out 
to  his  assistance,  many  of  them  no  doubt  being 
influenced  by  their  hatred  of  the  Sheriff.  Backinstos 
then  went  to  Nauvoo,  where  he  raised  a  posse  of 


138  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

several  hundred  armed  Mormons,  with  which  he  swept 

» 

over  the  country,  took  possession  of  Carthage,  and 
established  a  permanent  guard  there.  The  anti-Mor¬ 
mons  everywhere  fled  from  their  houses  before  the 
Sheriff,  some  of  them  to  Iowa  and  Missouri,  and  others 
to  the  neighboring  counties  in  Illinois.  The  Sheriff 
was  unable  or  unwilling  to  bring  any  portion  of  the 
rioters  to  battle,  or  to  arrest  any  of  them  for  their 
crimes.  The  posse  came  near  surprising  one  small 
squad,  but  they  made  their  escape,  all  but  one,  before 
they  could  be  attacked.  This  one,  named  McBratney, 
was  shot  down  by  some  of  the  posse  in  advance,  by 
whom  he  was  hacked  and  mutilated  as  though  he  had 
been  murdered  by  the  Indians. 

66  The  Sheriff  was  also  in  continual  peril  of  his  life 
from  the  anti-Mormons,  who  daily  threatened  him  with 
death  the  first  opportunity.  As  he  was  going  in  a 
buggy  from  Warsaw  in  the  direction  of  Nauvoo,  he 
was  pursued  by  three  or  four  men  to  a  place  in  the 
road  where  some  Mormon  teams  were  standing.  Back- 
instos  passed  the  teams  a  few  rods,  and  then  stopping, 
the  pursuers  came  up  within  one  hundred  and  fifty 
yaa’ds,  when  they  were  fired  upon,  with  an  unerring 
aim,  by  some  one  concealed  not  far  to  one  side  of  them. 
By  this  fire*  Franklin  A.  Worrell  was  killed.  He 
was  the  same  man  who  had  commanded  the  guard  at 
the  jail  at  the  time  the  Smiths  were  assassinated  ;  and 
there  made  himself  conspicuous  in  betraying  his  trust, 

*  It  has  since  transpired  that  “Port”  Rockwell  tired  the  fatal 
shot ;  and  the  gun  he  used  is  still  preserved  as  a  triumphant  relic,  in 
Salt  Lake  City. 


* 

AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM.  139 

by  consenting  to  the  assassination.  It  is  believed  that 
Backinstos  expected  to  be  pursued  and  attacked,  and 
had  previously  stationed  some  men  in  ambush,  to  fire 
upon  his  pursuers.  He  was  afterwards  indicted  for  the 
supposed  murder,  and  procured  a  change  of  venue  to 
Peoria  County,  where  he  was  acquitted  of  the  charge. 
About  this  time  also,  the  Mormons  murdered  a  man  by 
the  name  of  Daubeneyer,  without  any  apparent  pro¬ 
vocation;  and  another  anti-Mormon,  named  Wilcox, 
was  murdered  in  Nauvoo,  as  it  was  believed,  by  order 
of  the  twelve  apostles.  The  anti-Mormons  also  com¬ 
mitted  one  murder.  Some  of  them,  under  Backman, 
set  fire  to  some  straw  near  a  barn  belonging  to  Durfee, 
an  old  Mormon  of  seventy  years;  and  then  lay  in 
ambush  until  the  old  man  came  out  to  extinguish  the 
fire,  when  they  shot  him  dead  from  their  place  of 
concealment.  The  perpetrators  of  this  murder  were 
arrested  and  brought  before  an  anti-Mormon  justice  of 
the  peace,  and  were  acquitted,  though  their  guilt  was 
sufficiently  apparent. 

u  During  the  ascendancy  of  the  Sheriff  and  the  absence 
of  the  anti-Mormons  from  their  homes,  the  people  who 
had  been  burnt  out  of  their  homes  assembled  at  Nau¬ 
voo,  from  whence,  with  many  others,  they  sallied  forth 
and  ravaged  the  country,  stealing  and  plundering  what¬ 
ever  was  convenient  to  carry  or  drive  away.  When 
informed  of  these  proceedings  I  hastened  to  Jackson¬ 
ville,  where,  in  a  conference  with  General  Hardin, 
Major  Warren,  Judge  Douglas,  and  the  Attorney 
General,  Mr.  McDougall,  it  was  agreed  that  these 
gentlemen  should  proceed  to  Hancock  in  all  haste,  with 


140 


LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 


whatever  forces  had  been  raised,  few  or  many,  and  put 
an  end  to  these  disorders.  It  was  now  apparent  that 
neither  party  in  Hancock  could  be  trusted  with  the 
power  to  keep  the  peace.  It  was  also  agreed  that  all 
these  gentlemen  should  unite  their  influence  with  mine 
to  induce  the  Mormons  to  leave  the  State.  General 
Hardin  lost  no  time  in  raising  three  or  four  hundred 
volunteers,  and  when  he  got  to  Carthage  he  found  a 
Mormon  guard  in  possession  of  the  Court  House.  This 
force  he  ordered  to  disband  and  disperse  in  fifteen 
minutes.  The  plundering  parties  of  Mormons  were 
stopped  in  their  ravages.  The  fugitive  anti-Mormons 
were  recalled  to  their  homes,  and  all  parties  above  four 
in  number  on  either  side  were  prohibited  from  assem¬ 
bling  and  marching  over  the  country. 

“  Whilst  General  Hardin  was  at  Carthage,  a  conven¬ 
tion  previously  appointed  assembled  at  that  place, 
composed  of  delegates  from  the  eight  neighboring 
counties.  The  people  of  the  neighboring  counties 
were  alarmed  lest  the  anti-Mormons  should  entirely 
desert  Hancock,  and  by  that  means  leave  one  of  the 
largest  counties  in  the  State  to  be  possessed  entirely 
by  Mormons.  This  they  feared  would  bring  the  sur¬ 
rounding  counties  into  immediate  collision  with  them. 
They  had,  therefore,  appointed  this  convention  to  con¬ 
sider  measures  for  the  expulsion  of  the  Mormons.  The 
twelve  apostles  had  now  become  satisfied  that  the  Mor¬ 
mons  could  not  remain,  or  if  they  did  the  leaders  would 
be  compelled  to  abandon  the  sway  and  dominion  they 
exercised  over  them.  They  had  now  become  con¬ 
vinced  that  the  kind  of  Mahometanism  which  they 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


141 


sought  to  establish  could  never  be  maintained  in 
the  near  vicinity  of  a  people  whose  morals  and  preju¬ 
dices  were  all  outraged  and  shocked  by  it,  unless  in¬ 
deed  they  were  prepared  to  establish  it  by  force  of 
arms.  Through  the  intervention  of  General  Hardin, 
acting  under  instructions  from  me,  an  agreement  was 
made  between  the  hostile  parties  for  the  voluntary 
removal  of  the  greater  part  of  the  Mormons  in  the 
spring  of  1846. 

“The  two  parties  agreed  that,  in  the  meantime,  they 
would  seek  to  make  no  arrests  for  crimes  previously 
committed ;  and  on  my  part,  I  agreed*  that  an  armed 
force  should  be  stationed  in  the  county  to  keep  the 
peace.  The  presence  of  such  a  force,  and  amnesty 
from  prosecutions  on  all  sides,  were  insisted  on  by  the 
Mormons  that  they  might  devote  their  time  and  energies 
to  prepare  for  their  removal.  General  Hardin  first 
diminished  his  force  to  one  hundred  men,  leaving  Major 
William  B.  Warren  in  command.  And  this  force  being 
further  reduced  during  the  winter  to  fifty,  and  then  to 
ten  men,  was  kept  up  until  the  last  of  May,  1846. 
This  force  was  commanded  with  great  prudence  and 
efficiency  during  all  this  winter  and  spring  by  Major 
W arren ;  and  with  it  he  was  enabled  to  keep  the  tur¬ 
bulent  spirit  of  faction  in  check,  the  Mormons  well 
knowing  that  it  would  be  supported  by  a  much  larger 
force  whenever  the  Governor  saw  proper  to  call  for  it. 
In  the  meantime,  they  somewhat  repented  of  their 
bargain,  and  desired  Major  Warren  to  be  withdrawn. 
Backinstos  was  anxious  to  be  again  at  the  head  of  his 
posse,  to  goster  over  the  county  and  to  take  vengeance 


142  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

oil  his  enemies.  The  anti-Mormons  were  also  dissatis¬ 
fied,  because  the  State  force  preserved  a  threatening 
aspect  toward  them  *  as  well  as  the  Mormons.  He  was 
always  ready  to  enforce  arrests  of  criminals  for  new 
offences  on  either  side ;  and  this  pleased  neither  party. 
Civil  war  was  upon  the  point  of  breaking  out  more  than 
a  dozen  times  during  the  winter.  Both  parties  com¬ 
plained  of  Major  Warren;  but  I,  well  knowing  that  he 
was  manfully  doing  his  duty,  in  one  of  the  most  difficult 
and  vexatious  services,  steadily  sustained  him  against 
the  complaints  on  both  sides.  Great  credit  is  due 
General  Hardin*  and  Major  Warren  for  their  services, 
which  had  the  happiest  results,  and  prevented  a  civil 
war  in  the  winter  time,  when  much  misery  would  have 
followed  it. 

“  During  the  winter  of  1845-46,  the  Mormons  made 
the  most  prodigious  preparations  for  removal.  All  the 
houses  in  N  auvoo,  and  even  the  Temple,  were  converted 
into  workshops ;  and  before  spring  more  than  twelve 
thousand  wagons  were  in  readiness.  The  people  from 
all  parts  of  the  country  flocked  to  Nauvoo  to  purchase 
houses  and  farms,  which  were  sold  extremely  low,  lower 
than  the  prices  at  a  sheriff’s  sale,  for  money,  wagons, 
horses,  oxen,  cattle,  and  other  articles  of  personal  prop¬ 
erty,  which  might  be  needed  by  the  Mormons  during 
their  exodus  into  the  wilderness.  By  the  middle  of 
May  it  was  estimated,  that  sixteen  thousand  Mormons 
had  crossed  the  Mississippi  and  taken  up  their  line  of 
march  westward ;  leaving  behind  them  in  Nauvoo  a 
small  remnant  of  a  thousand  souls,  being  those  who 
were  unable  to  sell  their  property,  or  having  none  to 
sell,  were  unable  to  get  away. 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


143 


“  The  twelve  Apostles  went  first  with  about  two 
thousand  of  their  followers.  Indictments  had  been 
found  against  nine  of  them  in  the  Circuit  Court  of  the 
United  States  for  the  district  of  Illinois,  at  its  Decem¬ 
ber  term,  1845,  for  counterfeiting  the  current  coin  of 
the  United  States.  The  United  States  Marshal  had 
applied  to  me  for  a  militia  force  to  arrest  them ;  but  in 
pursuance  of  the  amnesty  agreed  on,  and  consequent 
considerations,  I  declined  the  application  unless  regu¬ 
larly  called  on  by  the  President  according  to  law. 
The  arrest  of  the  leaders  would  end  the  preparations 
for  removal,  and  it  was  notorious  that  none  of  them 
could  be  convicted ;  for  they  always  commanded  evi¬ 
dence  and  witnesses  enough  to  render .  conviction  im¬ 
possible.  But  with  a  view  to  hasten  their  removal 
they  were  made  to  believe  that  the  President  would 
order  the  regular  army  to  Nauvoo  as  soon  as  naviga¬ 
tion  opened  in  the  spring.  This  had  its  intended 
effect;  the  twelve  with  about  two  thousand  followers 
immediately  crossed  the  Mississippi  before  the  breaking 
up  of  the  ice.  But  before  this,  the  deputy  marshal 
had  sought  to  arrest  the  accused  without  success. 

“  Notwithstanding  but  few  of  the  Mormons  remained 
behind,  after  June,  1846,  the  anti-Mormons  were  no 
less  anxious  for  their  expulsion  by  force  of  arms ;  being 
another  instance  of  a  party  not  being  satisfied  with 
success  not  brought  about  by  themselves,  and  by 
measures  of  their  own.  It  was  feared  that  the  Mor¬ 
mons  might  vote  at  the  August  election  of  that  year ; 
and  that  enough  of  them  yet  remained  to  control  the 
elections  in  the  county,  and  perhaps  in  the  district  for 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


145 


Congress.  They,  therefore,  took  measures  to  get  up  a 
new  quarrel  with  the  remaining  Mormons.  And  for 
this  purpose  they  attacked  and  severely  whipped  a 
party  of  eight  or  ten  Mormons,  which  had  been  sent 
out  in  the  country  to  harvest  some  wheat  in  the  neigh¬ 
borhood  of  Pontoosuc,  and  who  had  provoked  the 
wrath  of  the  settlement  by  hallooing,  yelling,  and 
other  arrogant  behavior.  Writs  were  sworn  out  in' 
Nauvoo  against  the  men  of  Pontoosuc,  who  were  kept 
for  several  days  under  strict  guard  until  they  gave  bail. 
Then,  in  their  turn,  they  swore  out  writs  for  the 
arrest  of  the  constable  and  his  posse  who  had  made 
the  first  arrest,  for  false  imprisonment.  The  Mormon 
posse  were  no  doubt  really  afraid  to  be  arrested,  be¬ 
lieving  that  instead  of  being  tried  they  would  be  mur¬ 
dered.  This  made  an  excuse  for  an  anti-Mormon 
posse  of  several  hundred  men ;  but  the  matter  was 
finally  adjusted  without  any  one  being  taken.  A  com¬ 
mittee  of  anti-Mormons  was  sent  into  Nauvoo,  who 
reported  that  the  Mormons  were  making  every  possi¬ 
ble  preparation  for  removal ;  and  the  leading  Mormons 
on  their  part  agreed  that  their  people  should  not  vote 
at  the  next  election. 

“  The  August  election  soon  canle,  and  the  Mormons 
all  voted  the  whole  Democratic  ticket.  I  have  since 
been  informed  by  Babbitt,  the  Mormon  elder  and  agent 
for  the  sale  of  Church  property,  that  they  were  induced 
to  vote  this  time  from  the  following  considerations : 

“  The  President  of  the  United  States  had  permitted 
the  Mormons  to  settle  on  the  Indian  lands  on  the  Mis- 
souri  River,  and  had  taken  five  hundred  of  them  into 
10 


146  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

the  service  as  soldiers  in  the  war  with  Mexico ;  and,  in 
consequence  of  these  favors,  the  Mormons  felt  under 
obligations  to  vote  for  Democrats  in  support  of  the  Ad¬ 
ministration  ;  and  so  determined  were  they  that  their 
support  of  the  President  should  be  efficient,  that  they 
all  voted  three  or  four  times  each  for  a  member  of  Con¬ 
gress. 

“  This  vote  of  the  Mormons  enraged  the  Whigs  anew 
against  them ;  the  probability  that  they  might  attempt 
to  remain  permanently  in  the  country,  and  the  certainty 
that  many  designing  persons  for  selfish  purposes  were 
endeavoring  to  keep  them  there,  revived  all  the  excite¬ 
ment  which  had  ever  existed  against  that  people.  In 
pursuance  of  the  advice  and  under  the  direction  of 
Archibald  Williams,  a  distinguished  lawyer  and  a  Whig 
politician  of  Quincy,  writs  were  again  sworn  out  for 
the  arrest  of  persons  in  Nauvoo,  on  various  charges. 
But  to  create  a  necessity  for  a  great  force  to  make  the 
arrests,  it  was  freely  admitted  by  John  Carlin,  the  con¬ 
stable  sent  in  with  the  writs,  that  the  prisoners  would 
be  murdered  if  arrested  and  taken  out  of  the  city.  And 
now  having  failed  to  make  the  arrests,  the  constable 
began  to  call  out  the  posse  comitatus.  This  was  about 
the  1st  of  September,  1846.  The  posse  soon  amounted 
to  several  hundred  men.  The  Mormons,  in  their  turn, 
swore  out  several  writs  for  the  arrest  of  leading  anti-  { 
Mormons.  Here  was  writ  against  writ ;  constable 
against  constable ;  law  against  law,  and  posse  against 
posse. 

“  Whilst  the  parties  were  assembling  their  forces,  the 
trustees  of  Nauvoo  being  new  citizens,  not  Mormons, 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


147 


applied  to  the  Governor  for  a  militia  officer  to  be  sent 
over  with  ten  men,  they  supposing  that  this  small  force 
would  dispense  with  the  services  of  the  civil  posse  on 
either  side.  There  was  such  a  want  of  confidence  on 
all  sides,  that  no  one  would  submit  to  be  arrested  by  an 
adversary,  for  fear  of  assassination. 

“  In  looking  around  over  the  State  for  a  suitable  officer, 
those  upon  whom  I  had  relied  in  all  previous  emergen¬ 
cies  having  gone  to  the  Mexican  war,  the  choice  fell 
upon  Major  Parker,  of  Fulton  County.  He  was  a 
Whig,  and  was  selected  partly  for  that  reason,  believ¬ 
ing  that  now,  as  in  previous  cases,  a  Whig  would  have 
more  influence  in  restraining  the  anti-Mormons  than  a 
Democrat. 

“  The  posse  continued  to  increase  until  it  numbered 
about  eight  hundred  men ;  and  whilst  it  was  getting 
ready  to  march  into  the  city,  it  was  represented  to  me 
by  another  committee,  that  the  new  citizens  of  Nauvoo 
were  themselves  divided  into  two  parties,  the  one  siding 
with  the  Mormons,  the  other  with  their  enemies.  The 
Mormons  threatened  the  disaffected  with  death,  if  they 
did  not  join  in  defence  of  the  city.  For  this  reason,  I 
sent  over  M.  Brayman,  Esq.,  a  judicious  citizen  of 
Springfield,  with  suitable  orders  restraining  all  com¬ 
pulsion,  in  forcing  the  citizens  to  join  the  Mormons 
against  their  will,  and  generally  to  inquire  into  and  re¬ 
port  all  the  circumstances  of  the  quarrel.  Soon  after 
Mr.  Brayman  arrived  there,  he  persuaded  the  leaders 
on  each  side  into  an  adjustment  of  the  quarrel.  It  was 
agreed  that  the  Mormons  should  immediately  surrender 
their  arms  to  some  person  to  be  appointed  to  receive 


148  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

them,  and  to  be  re-delivered  when  they  left  the  State, 
and  that  they  would  remove  from  the  State  in  two  • 
months.  This  treaty  was  agreed  to  by  General  Single- 
ton,  Colonel  Chittenden  and  others  on  the  side  of  the 
Anties,  and  by  Major  Parker  and  some  leading  Mor¬ 
mons  on  the  other  side.  But  when  the  treaty  was  sub¬ 
mitted  to  the  anti-Mormon  forces  for  ratification,  it  was 
rejected  by  a  small  majority.  General  Singleton  and 
Colonel  Chittenden,  with  a  proper  self  respect,  immedi¬ 
ately  withdrew  from  command ;  they  not  being  the  first 
great  men  placed  at  the  head  of  affairs  at  the  beginning' 
of  violence,  who  have  been  hurled  from  their  places  be¬ 
fore  the  popular  frenzy  had  run  its  course.  And  with 
them  also  great  Archibald  Williams,  the  prime  mover 
of  the  enterprise,  he  not  being  the  first  man  who  has 
got  up  a  popular  commotion  and  failed  to  govern  it 
afterwards.  Indeed,  the  whole  history  of  revolutions 
and  popular  excitements  leading  to  violence,  is  full  of 
instances  like  these.  Mr.  Brayman,  the  same  day  of 
the  rejection  of  the  treaty,  reported  to  me  that  nearly 
one-half  of  the  anti-Mormons  would  abandon  the  en¬ 
terprise  and  retire  with  their  late  commanders,  ‘  leav¬ 
ing  a  set  of  hair-brained  fools  to  be  flogged  or  to  disperse 
at  their  leisure.’  It  turned  out,  however,  that  the  cal¬ 
culations  of  Mr.  Brayman  were  not  realized ;  for  when 
Singleton  and  Chittenden  retired,  Thomas  S.  Brockman 
was  put  in  command  of  the  posse.  This  Brockman 
was  a  Campbellite  preacher,  nominally  belonging  to  the 
Democratic  party,  He  was  a  large,  awkward,  uncouth, 
ignorant,  semi-barbarian;  ambitious  of  office,  and  bent 
upon  acquiring  notoriety.  After  the  appointment  of 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


149 


Brockman,  I  was  not  enabled  to  hear  in  any  authentic 
shape  of  the  movements  on  either  side,  until  the  anti- 
Mormon  forces  had  arrived  near  the  suburbs  of  the 
city,  and  were  about  ready  to  commence  an  attack. 
The  information  Avhich  was  received,  was  by  mere 
rumor  of  travelers,  or  by  the  newspapers  from  St. 
Louis.  And  I  will  remark  that  during  none  of  these 
difficulties,  have  I  been  able  to  get  letters  and  dispatches 
from  Nauvoo  by  the  United  States  mail,  coming  as  it 
was  obliged  to  do,  through  anti-Mormon  settlements 
and  Post  Offices.” 

The  Governor’s  account  proceeds  to  state  the  efforts 
and  failure  to  raise  an  additional  force  of  militia  to  quell 
the  disturbance ;  that,  if  any  had  been  raised,  it 
would  have  only  operated  to  increase  the  excite¬ 
ment  and  the  anti-Mormon  force ;  that,  it  was  his 
solemn  conviction,  no  sufficient  force  could  have  been 
raised,  to  fight  in  favor  of  the  Mormons ;  that,  no  force 
could  have  more  than  temporarily  suppressed  the 
difficulties,  and  such  was  the  public  prejudice  against 
the  Mormons,  that,  ten  chances  to  one,  any  large  force 
of  militia  which  might  have  been  ordered  there  would 
have  joined  tli£  rioters,  rather  than  fought  in  favor  of 
the  Mormons. 

“  The  forces  under  Brockman  numbered  about  800 
men ;  they  were  armed  with  the  State  arms,  which 
had  been  given  up  to  them  by  independent  militia 
companies  in  the  adjacent  counties.  They  also  had 
five  six-pounder  iron  cannon,  belonging  to  the  State, 
which  they  had  obtained  in  the  same  way.  The  Mor¬ 
mon  party  and  their  allies,  being  some  of  the  new 


150  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

citizens  under  the  command  of  Major  Clifford,  num¬ 
bered  at  first  about  two  hundred  and  fifty  men,  but 
were  diminished  by  desertions  and  removals,  before  any 
decisive  fighting  took  place,  to  about  one  hundred  and 
fifty.  Some  of  them  were  armed  with  sixteen  shooting 
rifles,  which  experience  proved  ineffective  in  their 
hands,  and  a  few  of  them  with  muskets.  They  had  four 
or  five  cannon,  rudely  and  hastily  made  by  themselves 
out  of  the  shaft  of  a  steamboat.  The  Mormons  and 
their  allies  took  position  in  the  suburbs,  about  one 
mile  east  of  the  temple,  where  they  threw  up  some 
breastworks  for  the  protection  of  their  artillery.  The 
attacking  force  was  strong  enough  to  have  been  divided 
and  marched  into  the  city,  on  each  side  of  this  battery, 
and  entirely  out  of  the  range  of  its  shot ;  and  thus  the 
place  might  have  been  taken  without  the  firing  of  a 
gun.  But  Brockman,  although  he  professed  a  desire 
to  save  the  lives  of  his  men,  planted  his  force  directly 
in  front  of  the  enemy’s  battery,  but  distant  more  than 
half  a  mile ;  and  now  both  parties  commenced  a  fire 
from  their  cannon,  and  some  few  persons  on  each  side 
approached  near  enough  to  open  a  fire  with  their  rifles 
and  muskets,  but  not  near  enough  to  do  each  other  ma¬ 
terial  injury. 

“  In  this  manner  they  continued  to  fire  at  each  other, 
at  such  a  distance,  and  with  such  want  of  skill, 
that  there  was  but  little  prospect  of  injury,  until  the 
anti-Mormons  had  exhausted  their  ammunition,  when 
they  retreated  in  some  disorder  to  their  camp.  They 
were  not  pursued,  and  here  the  Mormons  committed 
an  error,  for  all  experience  of  irregular  forces  has 


AND  CHIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


151 


shown,  that  however  brave  they  may  be,  a  charge  on 
them  when  they  have  once  commenced  a  retreat,  is 
sure  to  be  successful.  Having  waited  a  few  days  to 
supply  themselves  with  ammunition  from  Quincy,  the 
Anties  again  advanced  to  the  attack,  but  without  com¬ 
ing  nearer  to  the  enemy  than  before,  and  that  which 
at  the  time  was  called  a  battle,  was  kept  up  three  or 
four  days,  during  all  which  time  the  Mormons  admit  a 
loss  of  two  men  and  a  boy  killed,  and  three  or  four 
wounded.  The  Anties  admit  a  loss  on  their  side  of  one 
^nan  mortally,  and  nine  or  ten  others  not  so  danger¬ 
ously  wounded.  The  Mormons  claimed  that  they  had 
killed  thirty  or  forty  of  the  Anties.  The  Anties 
claimed  that  they  had  killed  thirty  or  forty  of  the 
Mormons;  and  both  parties  could  have  proved  their 
claim  by  incontestable  evidence,  if  their  witnesses  had 
been  credible.  But  the  account  which  each  party 
renders  of  its  own  loss  should  be  taken  as  the  true  one, 
unless  such  account  can  be  successfully  controverted. 
During  all  the  skirmishing  and  firing  of  cannon,  it  is 
estimated  that  from  seven  to  nine  hundred  cannon 
balls,  and  an  infinite  number  of  bullets,  were  fired  on 
each  side,  from  which  it  appears  that  the  remarkable 
fact  of  so  few  being  killed  and  wounded,  can  be  ac¬ 
counted  for  only  by  supposing  great  unskilfulness  in 
the  use  of  arms,  and  by  the  very  safe  distance ‘which 
the  parties  kept  from  each  other. 

“  At  last  through  the  intervention  of  an  anti-Mormon 
committee  of  one  hundred  from  Quincy,  the  Mormons 
and  their  allies  were  induced  to  submit  to  such  terms 
as  the  posse  chose  to  dictate,  which  were  that  the  Mor- 


152  LIFE  IN  UTAH  ;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

mons  should  immediately  give  up  their  arms  to  the 
Quincy  committee,  and  remove  from  the  State.  The 
trustees  of  the  Church  and  five  of  their  clerks  were  per¬ 
mitted  to  remain  for  the  sale  of  Mormon  property,  and 
the  posse  were  to  march  in  unmolested,  and  to  leave  a 
sufficient  force  to  guarantee  the  performance  of  these 
stipulations. 

“  Accordingly  the  constable’s  posse  marched  in  with 
Brockman  at  their  head,  consisting  of  about  eight  hun¬ 
dred  armed  men,  and  six  or  seven  hundred  unarmed, 
who  had  assembled,  from  all  the  country  around,  from 
motives  of  curiosity,  to  see  the  once  proud  city  of  Nau- 
voo  humbled,  and  delivered  up  to  its  enemies,  and  to 
the  domination  of  a  self-constituted  and  irresponsible 
power.  They  proceeded  into  the  city  slowly  and  care¬ 
fully,  examining  the  way  from  fear  of  the  explosion  of 
a  mine,  many  of  which  had  been  made  by  the  Mormons, 
by  burying  kegs  of  powder  in  the  ground  with  a  man 
stationed  at  a  distance  to  pull  a  string  communicating 
with  the  trigger  of  a  percussion  lock  aff  xed  to  the  keg. 
This  kind  of  contrivance  was  called  by  the  Mormons  a 
c  hell’s  half-acre.’  When  the  posse  arrived  in  the  city, 
the  leaders  of  it  erected  themselves  into  a  tribunal  to 
decide  who  should  be  forced  away  and  who  re¬ 
main.  Parties  were  dispatched  to  hunt  for  Mormon 
arms  and  for  Mormons,  and  to  bring  them  to  the  judg¬ 
ment,  where  they  received  their  doom  from  the  mouth 
of  Brockman,  who  then  sat  a  grim  and  unawed  tyrant 
for  the  time.  As  a  general  rule,  the  Mormons  were 
ordered  to  leave  within  an  hour  or  two  hours ;  and  bv 
rare  grace  some  of  them  were  allowed  until  next  day, 
and  in  a  few  cases  longer. 


AXD  CRIMES  OF  MORMON1SM. 


153 


u  The  treaty  specified  that  the  Mormons  only  should 
be  driven  into  exile.  Nothing  was  said  in  it  concern¬ 
ing  the  new  citizens,  who  had,  with  the  Mormons, 
defended  the  city.  But  the  posse  no  sooner  obtained 
possession,  than  they  commenced  expelling  the  new 
citizens.  Some  of  them  were  ducked  in  the  river, 
being  in  one  or  two  instances  actually  baptized  in  the 
name  of  the  leaders  of  the  mob;  others  were  forcibly 
driven  into  the  ferry  boats,  to  be  taken  over  the  river, 
before  the  bayonets  of  armed  ruffians  ;  and  it  is  asserted 
that  the  houses  of  most  of  them  were  broken  open  and 
their  property  stolen  during  their  absence. 

“  Although  the  mob  leaders,  in  the  exercise  of  un¬ 
bridled  power,  were  guilty  of  many  enormities  to  the 
persons  of  individuals,  and  though  much  personal 
property  was  stolen,  yet  they  abstained  from  materially 
injuring  houses  and  buildings.  The  most  that  was 
done  in  this  way  was  the  stealing  of  the  doors  and  sash 
of  the  windows  from  a  few  houses  by  somebody ;  each 
party  equally  alleging  that  it  was  done  by  the  other. 

“  The  Mormons  had  been  forced  away  from  their 
homes  unprepared  for  a  journey.  They  and  their 
women  and  children  had  been  thrown  houseless  upon 
the  Iowa  shore,  without  provisions  or  the  means  of  get¬ 
ting  them,  or  to  get  away  to  places  where  provisions 
might  be  obtained.  It  was  now  the  height  of  the  sickly 
season.  Many  of  them  were  taken  from  sick  beds, 
hurried  into  the  boats,  and  driven  away  by  the  armed 
ruffians  now  exercising  the  power  of  government.  The 
best  they  could  do  was  to  erect  their  tents  on  the  banks 
of  the  river,  and  there  remain  to  take  their  chances  of 


BRIGHAM  YOUNG  PREACHING  IN  THE  WILDERNESS. 


154  LIFE  IN  UTAH  ;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

perishing  by  hunger,  or  by  prevailing  sickness.  In  this 
condition  the  sick,  without  shelter,  food,  nourishment 
or  medicines,  died  by  scores.  The  mother  watched  her 
sick  babe,  without  hope,  until  it  died,  and  when  she  sunk 
under  accumulated  miseries,  it  was  only  to  be  quickly 
followed  by  her  other  children,  now  left  without  the 
least  attention ;  for  the  men  had  scattered  out  over  the 
country  seeking  employment  and  the  means  of  living. 
Their  distressed  condition  was  no  sooner  known,  than 
all  parties  contributed  to  their  relief  ;  the  anti-Mormons 
as  much  as  others.” 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


155 


CHAPTER  V. 

FROM  THE  NAUYOO  EXODUS  TO  THE  MORMON  WAR  IN 

UTAH. 

The  Via  Dolorosa  of  Mormon  History — Through  Iowa— Great  suffering — 
“  Stakes  of  Zion” — Settlement  in  Nebraska — ‘‘Mormon  Battalion” — 
Journey  to  Utah — Founding  of  Salt  Lake  City — Early  accounts — Out¬ 
rages  upon  California  emigrants — Travelers  murdered — Apostates 
“missing  ” — Dangers  of  rivalry  in  love  with  a  Mormon  Bishop — Usurpa¬ 
tions  of  Mormon  Courts  and  officers — Federal  Judges  driven  out — 
Murders  of  Babbitt  and  Williams — Flight  of  Judges  Stiles  and  Drum¬ 
mond — The  Army  set  in  motion  for  Utah — New  officers  appointed— Sus¬ 
picious  delay  of  the  army — The  “Mormon  War  ”  begun. 

The  last  of  the  Mormons  was  exiled  from  the  State 
which  had  gladly  received  them  seven  years  before, 
and  we  turn  to  their  march  through  Iowa — the  Via 
Dolorosa  of  Mormon  history.  A  band  of  pioneers 
through  Iowa  left  Nauvoo  the  20th  day  of  January, 
1846,  and  the  same  day  the  High  Council  issued  a  cir¬ 
cular  announcing  the  general  intention  to  leave.  Early 
in  February  several  thousand  Mormons  crossed  the 
Mississippi,  many  of  them  on  the  ice,  and  started 
directly  west,  along  a  line  near  the  northern  boundary 
of  Missouri.  They  were  divided  into  companies  of  ten 
wagons  each,  under  control  of  captains,  and  this  semi¬ 
military  order  was  maintained  throughout.  As  the 
spring  advanced,  many  of  the  able-bodied  men  scattered 
to  various  places  in  Missouri  and  Iowa,  seeking  em¬ 
ployment  of  every  kind,  and  the  remaining  men,  with 


156  LIFE  IN  UTAH  ;  OR,  TIIE  MYSTERIES 

a  great  band  of  women  and  children,  pursued  their  way. 
In  that  climate  and  at  that  season,  their  sufferings  were 
necessarily  great.  The  high  waters,  wet  prairie,  damp 
winds  and  muddy  roads  of  spring  troubled  them  worse 
than  the  frosts  of  winter,  and  sickness  and  death  in¬ 
creased.  “  All  night,”  says  a  woman  who  made  the 
journey,  “  the  wagons  came  trundling  into  camp  with 
half-frozen  children  screaming  with  cold,  or  crying  for 
bread,  and  the  same  the  next  day,  and  the  next,  the 
whole  line  of  march. 

“  The  open  sky  and  bare  ground  for  women  and 
children  in  February  is  a  thing  only  to  be  endured 
when  human  nature  is  put  to  the  rack  of  necessity, 
and  many  a  mother  hastily  buried  her  dead  child  by 
the  wayside,  only  regretting  she  could  not  lie  down 
with  it  herself  and  be  at  peace.” 

On  their  way  they  established  “  Stakes,”  and  when 
the  weather  had  sufficiently  advanced,  enclosed  large 
fields  and  planted  them  with  grain  for  those  who  were 
to  follow  after.  The  most  noted  of  these  “ stakes” 
were  Garden  Grove  and  Mt.  Pisgah.  They  bridged 
the  Nishnabatona,  Nodaway  and  Grand  Rivers,  besides 
many  smaller  streams,  and  later,  when  the  grass  was 
grown,  turned  northward. 

But  the  advance  of  the  season  seemed  to  increase  the 
amount  of  disease ;  hundreds  who  had  been  frost-bitten 
and  chilled  during  the  winter  died  along  the  way,  and 
the  route  was  lined  with  graves.  Still  the  zeal  of  the 
survivors  sustained  them,  and  the  cruel  ambition  of 
their  leader  forced  them  on ;  and  though  many  de¬ 
serted  and  turned  away  to  various  Gentile  settlements, 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


157 


MORMON  CAMP  AT  COUNCIL  BLUFFS,  IOWA. 

a  majority  remained.  As  successive  parties  left  Nau- 
voo,  the  trains  were  spread  over  a  line  of  a  hundred 
miles ;  but  during  the  latter  part  of  the  season  they 
concentrated  in  the  Pottawattomie  country,  extending 
up  and  down  the  Missouri  from  Council  Bluffy.  Here 
they  built  ferry  boats,  and  a  part  crossed  the  river. 
Preparations  for  the  winter  were  made  on  both  sides  ; 
cabins  were  built,  rude  tents  erected,  and  “  dugouts,” 
dwellings  half  underground,  constructed.  Many  young 
men  went  back  to  the  States,  and  hired  out  to 
work  for  provisions,  which  were  forwarded  to  the 
camp.  According  to  other  witnesses,  a  band  of  horse 
and  cattle  thieves  was  organized  under  the  control  of 
Orson  Hyde,  and  a  gang  of  counterfeiters  sent  into 
Missouri.  In  the  July  previous  they  had  been  visited 
by  Captain  James  G.  Allen,  of  the  United  States 
Dragoons,  with  whom  Brigham  Young  entered  into 


158 


LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 


4 


negotiations  to  furnish  a  battalion  for  the  Mexican 
War.  The  Mormons  were  the  more  ready  to  enter 
this  service,  as  they  expected  to  be  discharged  in  Cali¬ 
fornia,  where  the  Church  then  intended  to  settle. 
Five  hundred  men  were  enrolled  in  a  few  days,  and 
proceeded  to  Leavenworth^  where  they  were  mustered 
into  the  service  of  the  United  States.  An  agent  of 
Brigham  Young  accompanied  them  thus  far  and  re¬ 
ceived  twenty  thousand  dollars  of  their  advanced 
bounty,  which  was  understood  to  be  for  the  support  of 
their  families  during  their  absence.  Several  of  them, 
since  apostatized,  testify  that  none  of  it  was  ever  so 
appropriated.  The  battalion  was  placed  under  the 
command  of  Colonel  Philip  Saint  George  Cooke,  and 
started  forthwith  on  the  noted  overland  march  of 

w 

General  Kearny. 

They  marched  two  thousand  and  fifty  miles  to  San 
Diego,  California,  passing  through  the  mountains  of 
southern  Colorado  and  New  Mexico,  and  across  the 
“  desert  of  death.”  One  company,  of  them  re-enlisted 
for  a  short  time  in  California,  many  apostatized  and  the 
rest  made  their  way  to  Salt  Lake  City.  The  main 
body  of  the  Saints  meanwhile  concentrated  at  what  is 
now  Florence,  six  miles  north  of  Omaha,  which  they 
called  Winter  Quarters.  There  they  built  five  hundred 
log  houses,  one  grist-mill,  and  several  “  horse  mills ;  ” 
there  the  Church  was  completely  reorganized ;  the  “  Quo¬ 
rum  of  Three  ”  re-established,  and  it  was  unanimously 
resolved  that  “  the  mantle  of  the  Prophet  Joseph  had 
fallen  on  the  Seer  and  Revelator,  Brigham  Young ;  ”  who 
was  accordingly  chosen  to  all  the  offices  and  titles  of 
the  dead  Prophet. 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


159 


On  the  eastern  side  of  the  Missouri,  were  still  some 
two  thousand  wagons  scattered  in  various  camps,  each 
bearing  the  name  of  its  leader.  Many  of  these  names 
remain  in  the  local  nomenclature  of  that  country,  as  Cui> 
lers*,  Perkins,  Millers,  etc.  At  this  time  they  were  visited 
by  Colonel  (since  General)  Thos.  L.  Kane,  of  Philadel¬ 
phia,  who  continued  with  them  some  time,  crossed  a 
portion  of  the  plains  with  them,  and  figured  extensively 
in  an  important  period  of  Mormon  history.  Elder 
John  Hyde,  the  noted  apostate,  says  that  Kane  there 
embraced  Mormonism,  but  this  seems  quite  improbable. 
During  the  winter,  Orson  Pratt,  Parley  P.  Pratt  and 
John  Taylor  went  on  a  mission  to  England,  giving  gen¬ 
eral  notice  to  the  Saints  abroad,  that  the  next  “  gath¬ 
ering  place  would  be  in  Upper  California.”  At  a  con¬ 
ference  held  before  they  left  Nauvoo,  to  determine  their 
destination,  Lyman  Wight  had  strongly  urged  Texas, 
John  Taylor  proposed  Vancouver’s  Island,  many  were 
in  favor  of  Oregon  and  Brigham  Young  insisted  upon 
California.  They  finally  fixed  indefinitely  upon  “some 
valley  in  the  Rocky  Mountains.” 

In  accordance  with  this  conclusion,  the  “  Pioneer 
Band,”  a  hundred  and  forty-three  men,  driving  seventy 
wagons,  under  the  command  of  Brigham  Yonng,  left 
Winter  Quarters,  April  14th,  1847,  and  followed  Fre¬ 
mont’s  Trail  westward  up  the  Platte  River.  West  of 
the  Black  Hills,  they  diverged  and  followed  a  “  trapper’s 
trail  ”  for  four  hundred  miles,  and  from  Bear  River  west¬ 
ward,  laid  out  a  new  route  through  Emigration  Canon 
to  Jordan  Valley. 

The  company  entered  the  valley  July  24th,  now 


160 


LIFE  IX  UTAH;  OK,  TIIE  MYSTERIES 


MORMONS  EMIGRATING  TO  UTAH  IN  1847. 


celebrated  as  “Anniversary  Day.”  They  found  willows 
and  other  scant  vegetation  about  a  rod  wide  along  City 
Creek,  and  this  stream  they  dammed,  and  dug  an  irri¬ 
gating  ditch.  They  planted  a  few  potatoes,  from  which 
they  raised  enough  that  year  to  serve  for  seed  for  a 
large  plat,  though  no  bigger  than  chestnuts.  They  pro¬ 
ceeded  also  to  lay  out  a  city,  and  in  October  Brigham 
Young  and  a  few  others  went  back  to  Winter  Quarters. 
The  people  had  suffered  greatly  with  cholera,  fever 
and  inflammatory  diseases,  and  the  “Old  Mormon 
Gravevard”  at  Florence  contains  seven  hundred  graves 
of  that  winter,  of  which  two  hundred  are  of  children. 
Yast  numbers  had  “fallen  into  apostasy,”  or  turned 
away  and  joined  themselves  to  recusant  sects;  and  all 
their  fair-weather  friends  had  forsaken  them.  But  the 
little  remnant  were  at  least  consolidated  in  sentiment, 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


161 


strengthened  and  confirmed  together  by  mutual  suffer 
ing,  firm  and  self-reliant;  and  something  over  four  thou¬ 
sand  made  the  journey  to  Salt  Lake  the  following  season. 
But  the  small  party  left  in  the  valley  had  raised  but 
a  scant  crop,  and  though  the  new  comers  had  trans¬ 
ported  all  the  provisions  they  could,  there  was  great 
scarcity.  Every  head  of  a  family  issued  rations  to 
|  those  dependent  upon  him,  and  many  children  received, 
for  months,  “each  one  buiscuit  a  day  and  all  the  sego 
roots  they  could  dig.”  Wolves,  raw  hides,  rabbits, 
thistle  roots,  segos,  and  everything  that  would  support 
life  was  resorted  to.  In  1849,  a  plentiful  crop  was 
raised,  furnishing  enough  for  food  and  a  small  surplus. 
February  20th,  1848,  emigration  from  Great  Britain 
was  re-commenced  after  a  suspension  of  two  years.  On 
the  10th  of  November  of  that  year  the  inhabitants  of 
Nauvoo  were  awakened  at  an  early  hour  by  a  fire  in 
the  Mormon  Temple,  which  was  soon  beyond  their 
control  and  in  a  short  time  everything  was  destroyed 
but  the  bare  walls.  The  city  was  largely  occupied  by 
a  colony  of  Icarians,  French  Communists,  under  the 
lead  of  M.  Cabet,  and  they  had  begun  to  refurnish  the 
building  for  a  social  hall  and  schoolroom.  The  Hancock 
Patriot  of  that  date  gives  a  full  account  of  the  mis¬ 
fortune,  showing  conclusively  that  the  building  had 
been  fired  by  an  incendiary.  “  But  it  is,”  says  the 
t  Patriot,  66  impossible  to  assign  a  probable  motive.  The 
destroyer  certainly  had  less  worthy  feelings  than  the 
man  who  fired  the  ‘Ephesian  Dome.’  Admit  that  it 
was  a  monument  of  folly  and  evil,  it  was  at  least  a 
splendid,  and  harmless  one.”  *  • 

11 


162  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

Many  have  since  supposed  that  it  was  fired  by  an 
emissary  from  a  rival  city.  The  walls  still  stood  in  such 
perfect  preservation,  that  nearly  two  years  after  the 
citizens  determined  to  roof  and  finish  it  for  an  Academy ; 
but  on  May  27th  1850,  a  violent  hurricane  swept  over 
Iowa  and  Illinois  and  prostrated  the  structure,  leaving 
only  a  portion  of  the  western  wall,  and  now  naught  but 
a  shapeless  pile  of  stones  marks  the  spot.  Mormon 
annals  give  many  interesting  incidents  of  their  first  three 
years  in  Utah,  but  this  record  can  deal  particularly 
only  with  that  portion  of  their  history  where  they  came 
in  immediate  contact  with  the  Gentiles.  For  two  years 
they  seem  to  have  had  it  all  their  own  way ;  if  there 
were  Gentiles  resident  in  Salt  Lake  City  before  1849, 
they  were  “  braves  before  Agamemnon,”  history  makes 
no  mention  of  them.  Of  course  there  were  trappers 
and  mountaineers  who  occasionally  visited  the  city,  and 
a  few  parties  of  emigrants  passed  that  way  even  before 
the  great  rush  of  ’49.  Lieutenant  Ruxton’s  “Life  in 
the  Far  West”  gives  an  account  of  a  visit  to  the  new 
city,  which  is  both  amusing  and  romantic,  and  M.  Violet, 
the  French  chief  among  the  Shoshonees,  visited  the 
Mormon  settlements  soon  after  their  establishment. 
For  three  years  the  Mormons  devoted  all  their  ener¬ 
gies  to  developing  the  country  and  getting  ready  to  live ; 
their  extreme  poverty  prevented  their  being  either  very 
enterprising  in  reaching  out  towards  their  neighbors,  or 
particularly  anxious  to  encroach  on  any  one.  Quite  a 
number  of  Gentiles  had  met  with  them  in  various  places 
on  the  plains  and  accompanied  them  some  distance; 
but  Colonel  Thomas  ‘L.  Kane,  who  made  most  of  the 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


163 


journey  with  them,  and  witnessed  their  early  efforts, 
has  left  the  only  account  approaching  to  exactness  of 
these  early  years.  The  great  rush  of  gold  hunters  in 
1849,  was  coeval  with  a  season  of  plenty,  and  the  asso¬ 
ciation  seems  to  have  been  mutually  beneficial  to  Mor¬ 
mons  and  pioneers,  but  none  of  the  latter  appear  to 
have  halted  in  “  Zion.”  They  were  in  too  eager  haste 
to  gain  the  new  Eldorado.  As  early  as  1846  a  few 
emigrants  passed  this  way  to  the  Pacific  coast,  and  the 
latter  part  of  that  year  one  Hastings  led  a  party  by  a 
new  route  south  of  the  Lake,  since  known  as  “  Hastings 
Cut-off.” 

It  is  estimated  by  those  living  at  various  military 
posts  on  the  overland  route,  that  from  five  to  ten  thou¬ 
sand  emigrants  from  the  United  States  had  crossed  to 
the  Pacific  coast  before  the  discovery  of  gold.  Fort 
Bridger  had  been  occupied  several  years  by  Colonel 
James  Bridger,  the  oldest  mountaineer  in  that  region, 
who  had  been  engaged  in  the  Indian  trade  there,  and 
upon  the  head  waters  of  the  Missouri  and  Columbia  since 
1819.  Early  in  1849  General  Wilson*  newly  appointed 
Indian  Agent  for  California,  passed  through  Salt  Lake 
City,  making  a  short  stay,  and  late  the  same  year  Cap¬ 
tain  Howard  Stansbury,  of  the  United  States  Topo¬ 
graphical  Engineers,  reached  the  city  and  remained  till 
the  next  May.  This  officer  with  his  assistant,  Lieuten¬ 
ant  Gunnison,  set  out  from  Leavenworth,  Kansas,  on 
the  31st  of  May,  1849  ;  traveling  up  the  Blue  River  to 
its  head,  he  crossed  over  to  the  Platte  and  followed  the 
main  emigrant  route  as  far  as  Fort  Bridger. 

Thence  he  endeavored  to  find  a  more  direct  route  to 


164  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

the  head  of  the  lake  than  the  one  usually  followed  by 
Fort  Hall,  in  Idaho,  which  required  a  “  northing  ”  of 
nearly  two  degrees.  In  pursuance  of  this  intention  he 
followed  the  “  Mormon  Road  ”  west  to  Bear  River, 
thence  followed  down  that  stream  northward,  six 
miles  to  Medicine  Butte,  from  which  he  sought  a 
route  due  west,  but  was  obliged  to  turn  again  to  the 
south  and  struck  upon  the  head  of  Pumbars  Creek,  a 
Tributary  of  the  Weber. 

From  this  hollow  he  passed  over  another  ridge  to 
Ogden  Hole,  long  the  rendezvous  of  the  Northwest  Fur 
Company,  on  account  of  its  fine  range  for  stock  in 
winter.  From  this  place  he  passed  out  into  the  main 
valley,  and  from  the  “ bench”  northwest  of  Ogden, *on 
the  27th  of  August,  caught  his  first  view  of  Great 
Salt  Lake.  Thinking,  as  he  stated,  that  his  success 
depended  somewhat  upon  the  good-will  of  the  Mor¬ 
mons,  he  visited  Salt  Lake  City  at  once,  and  seems  to 
have  formed  a  very  favorable  opinion.  He  acknowl¬ 
edges  the  courtesy  and  assistance  of  the  Mormons,  “  as 
soon  as  the  truU  object  of  the  expedition  was  under¬ 
stood.”  His  party  were  probably  the  first  Gentiles 
who  ever  spent  more  than  a  month  or  two  in  Salt 
Lake  City.  Late  in  1849,  or  early  in  1850,  Messrs. 
Livingston  and  Kinkead,  pioneer  merchants,  opened  a 
store  in  Salt  Lake  City,  and  from  the  extent  of  their 
trade,  the  Saints  seemed  to  have  realized  handsomely 
on  their  sales  to  the  California  emigrants. 

Captain  Stansbury  completed  his  survery  of  the 
Great  Salt  Lake,  and  set  out  on  his  return  to  the 
States  in  August,  1850 ;  and  soon  after  an  immense 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


VIEW  OF  SALT  LAKE  CITY  IK  1850 — FROM  THE  KORTIIWEST. 


emigration  appeared  on  their  way  to  California.  The 
association  of  the  preceding  year  seems  to  have  crea¬ 
ted  great  confidence  and  nearly  all  these  emigrants 
made  a  lengthy  stay  in  the  Mormon  settlements.  For 
three  years  the  Mormons  had  been  almost  unheard  of 
in  the  States,  most  of  the  prejudice  against  them  had 
died  out  and  had  the  policy  of  the  first  year  been  pur¬ 
sued,  mutual  good-will  would  have  been  established 
on  a  firm  basis  and  the  settlement  in  Utah  considered 
a  real  blessing. 


166  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

But  renewed  prosperity,  plenty  and  increasing 
numbers  had  produced  their  usual  effects,  arrogance, 
spiritual  pride,  and  a  desire  to  dominate  over  “  the 
unbelievers,”  and  numerous  difficulties  arose.  Late  in 
the  season  a  large  number  of  emigrants  were  persuaded 
that  it  was  unsafe  to  continue  the  westward  route  at 
that  season,  and  concluded  to  remain  all  winter  among 
the  Mormons.  They  represent  that  all  was  pleasant 
until  autumn  was  too  far  advanced  for  them  to  leave 
even  by  the  southern  route,  after  which  a  series  of  mer¬ 
ciless  exactions  began,  and  never  ceased  as  long  as  the 
Mormon  civil  authorities  could  find  pretences  for  bogus 
legal  actions,  or  the  emigrants  had  anything  of  which 
they  could  be  stripped.  Those  who  had  hired  out  to 
work  for  Mormons  were  refused  their  pay,  and  denied 
redress  in  the  courts ;  if  difficulties  arose,  fines  of  from 
one  to  five  hundred  dollars  were  imposed  for  the 
slightest  misdemeanors ;  in  all  suits  between  Mormon 
and  Gentile,  the  latter  invariably  paid  the  costs ;  they 
were  openly  reviled  in  court  by  the  Mormon  Judges, 
and  in  one  peculiarly  aggravating  instance  Justice 
Willard  Snow  boasted  to  Gentiles  in  his  court  that  “  the . 
time  was  near  at  hand,  when  he  would  judge  Gentiles 
for  life  and  death,  and  then  he  would  snatch  their  heads 
off  like  chickens  in  the  door  yard.” 

In  one  case  an  emigrant  died  near  the  Hot  Springs, 
and  his  three  companions  buried  him  and  proceeded  on 
their  way  without  notifying  the  city  authorities.  Com¬ 
plaint  was  made  that  some  city  ordinance  had  been 
violated;  they  were  pursued,  taken  back  to  the  city, 
and  every  dollar  they  had,  as  well  as  their  wagon  and 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


167 


all  their  stock,  were  taken  to  pay  their  fine  and  costs. 
Another  Gentile  was  struck  over  the  head  with  a  board 
by  Bill  Hickman,  and  returned  the  blow,  for  which  he 
was  arrested  and  fined  eighty  dollars ;  the  costs  made 
up  the  amount  to  more  than  two  hundred  dollars,  but 
as  he  had  but  little  over  half  the  sum,  they  kindly  con¬ 
tented  themselves  with  taking  all  he  had,  and  let  him 
depart.  Many  who  had  come  in  with  a  complete 
“  outfit,”  finished  their  journey  on  foot.  When  these 
emigrants  reached  the  general  rendezvous  on  the  Sacrar 
mento,  they  began  to  compare  notes.  And  as  ea.ch  new 
comer  added  to  the  evidence,  it  was  thought  best  to 
compile  their  statements  to  send  to  their  eastern  friends. 
Accordingly  the  affidavits  of  five  hundred  of  them  were 
selected,  reduced  to  form,  and,  with  their  names  ap¬ 
pended,  published  and  circulated  generally  in  the  East. 

This  book,  of  which  a  copy  may  be  found  in  the 
State  library  at  Sacramento,  contains  statements  of  facts 
which  seem  almost  incredible,  even  with  our  present 
knowledge  of  Mormon  law  and  its  administration ;  but 
they  rest  on  the  sworn  testimony  of  reliable  men,  who 
now  reside  in  Tuolumne,  Amador,  Placer,  Nevada,  Si¬ 
erra,  and  other  mining  counties  of  California. 

This  publication  roused  all  the  old  bitterness  of  feel¬ 
ing  against  the  Mormons,  which  was  not  a  little 
heightened  soon  after  by  the  shameless  avowal  on  their 
part  of  polygamy  and  incest  as  features  of  their  religion. 
Meanwhile,  by  the  treaty  of  Guadalupe  Hidalgo,  in 
1848,  all  that  section  had  passed  from  the  dominion  of 
Mexico  to  that  of  the  United  States,  and  early  in  1849, 
the  Mormon  authorities  called  a  convention  “  of  all  the 


168  LIFE  IN  UTAH  ;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

9 

citizens  of  that  portion  of  upper  California  lying  east 
of  the  Sierra  Nevada  Mountains,  to  take  into  considera¬ 
tion  the  propriety  of  organizing  a  Territorial  or  State 
Government.”  This  convention  met  at  Salt  Lake 
City  on  the  5th  of  March,  1849,  and  in  a  short  session 
“  ordained  and  established  a  free  and  independent 
Government,  by  the  name  of  the  State  of  Deseret,” 
fixed  the  boundaries  of  the  new  State,  and  provided 
for  the  election  of  a  Governor  and  all  State  officers. 
On  the  2d  of  July  following,  the  Legislature  of  the 
new  State  met,  elected  a  delegate  to  Congress,  adopted 
a  memorial  also  to  that  body,  in  which  they  set  forth 
their  loyalty,  patriotism  and  material  progress,  popular 
tion  and  other  qualifications  and  asked  for  admission. 

Congress,  however,  failed  to  see  it  precisely  in  that 
light,  and  on  the  9th  of  September,  1850,  passed  an 
act  to  organize  the  Territory  of  Utah,  of  which  Presi¬ 
dent  Fillmore  appointed  Brigham  Young  Governor. 
In  return  for  this  courtesy,  Brigham  soon  after  preached 
one  of  his  u  live  sermons,”  in  which  he  said  •  66  Why, 
when  that  time  comes  (the  earthly  reign  of  the  Saints) 
the  Gentiles  will  come  begging  to  us  to  be  our  ser¬ 
vants.  I  know  several  men,  high  in  office  in  the  Na¬ 
tion,  who  would  make  good  servants.  I  expect  the 
President  of  the  United  States  to  black  my  boots” 
This  was,  to  say  the  least,  unkind  of  Brigham.  At 
the  same  time,  Lemuel  C.  Brandenburg  was  appointed 
Chief  Justice  ;  Perry  E.  Brochus,  and  Zerubbabel  Snow, 
(Mormon)  Associate  Justices;  Seth  M.  Blair,  (Mor¬ 
mon)  Attorney  General,  and  B.  D.  Harris,  Secretary. 
Thus  the  President  had  divided  the  offices  pretty 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


169 


equally  between  Saint  and  Gentile.  The  officers  did 
not  reach  Utah  till  July,  1851,  at  which  time  there 
were  a  few  Gentiles  resident  in  Salt  Lake  City,  mostly 
carpenters  and  other  artisans  whose  labor  was  just 
then  in  special  demand,  emigrants  who  had  failed  at 
that  point  on  their  way  to  the  Pacific,  and  perhaps 
half  a  dozen  California  traders  or  cattle  dealers.  The 
new  Gentile  officers  soon  found  themselves  involved  in 
difficulty;  Judge  Brochus  rashly  attempted  to  preach 
against  polygamy,  and  having  his  life  threatened  soon 
after  left  the  Territory,  followed  in  1852,  by  Secretary 
Harris,  leaving  the  government  once  more  in  the  hands 
of  the  Mormons.  Brigham  Young  appointed  his  second 
counsellor,  Willard  Bichards,  to  fill  the  vacant  Secre¬ 
taryship,  the  sole  remaining  Judge,  Z.  Snow,  and  the 
District  Attorney  being  “  good  Mormons.” 

A  few  Spaniards  who  had  come  into  Utah  from  the 
South  were  tried  before  Snow,  and  convicted  “  of  buy¬ 
ing  Indian  children  for  slaves,”  whether  justly  or  not, 
cannot  now  be  determined.  The  Indians  were  taken 
from  the  Gentiles,  and  turned  over  to  the  “  brethren,” 
to  make  them,  according  to  prophecy,  “a  fair  and 
delightsome  people.”  An  Indian  war  soon  after  broke 
out,  and  occasional  difficulties  continued  through  1852, 
’53,  and  ’54.  In  place  of  the  judges  who  had  resigned, 
President  Pierce  appointed  Judges  Leonidas  Shaver 
and  Lazarus  H.  Reed;  the  former  arrived  in  the  fall 
of  ’52,  the  latter  in  June,  ’53.  Judge  Shaver  was  a 
“  hail  fellow,  well  met,”  and  lived  on  the  best  of  terms 
with  the  Mormons  for  some  time,  but  at  length  a 
sudden  quarrel  occurred  between  him  and  Brigham 


170  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

Young.  He  occupied  a  room  in  a  house  belonging  to 
Elder  Howard  Coray,  but  rented  by  a  Mr.  Dotson. 
One  night  he  retired  in  his  usual  health,  and  the  next 
morning  was  found  dead  in  his  bed.  The  Church 
authorities  ordered  a  thorough  investigation,  and  the 
Coroner’s  jury  of  Mormons  decided  that  he  died  of 
“  some  disease  of  the  head.”  One  physician  gave  it  as 
his  opinion,  that  the  Judge  had  been  greatly  addicted 
to  the  use  of  opium,  and  died  in  consequence  of  being 
suddenly  deprived  of  it ;  and  this  is  the  popular  belief 
among  the  Mormons.  Only  one  witness  on  this  matter 
was  ever  examined  in  the  States,  and  she  gave  it  as 
her  opinion  that  he  had  been  poisoned,  adding  that  she 
had  heard  Brigham  Young  say:  “  Judge  Shaver  knew 
too  much,  and  he  dare  not  allow  him  to  leave  the 
Territory.”  Being  an  apostate  Mormon,  her  evidence 
may  be  true  or  untrue.  The  Mormons  treated  Judge 
Reed  with  marked  courtesy,  and  after  a  stay  of  one 
year  he  left  witli  an  exalted  opinion  of  them.  He 
went  to  his  home  in  New  York,  intending  to  return, 
but  died  very  suddenly  while  there. 

About  this  time,  a  young  man  named  Wallace  A. 
C.  Bowman,  a  native  of  New  York,  arrived  at  Salt 
Lake  from  New  Mexico,  with  a  company  of  Spanish 
traders.  He  met  Brigham  Young  and  his  “  body 
guard  ”  at  Utah  Lake,  and,  according  to  his  com¬ 
panion’s  account,  had  some  difficulty  with  the  latter. 
On  his  arrival  in  the  city,  he  was  arrested  by  Robert 
T.  Burton  on  several  charges.  He  was  kept  in 
confinement  several  weeks,  but  no  evidence  appearing 
against  him  was  released.  He  started  east  at  once, 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


171 


but  was  shot  and  instantly  killed  in  a  canon  but  a  few 
miles  from  the  city,  “by  Indians,”  according  to  the 
Mormon  account;  by  Norton  and  Ferguson,  “Danites,” 
according  to  the  same  witness  above  mentioned.  As 
in  that  case,  it  is  now  impossible  to  tell  which  story  is 
true.  John  F.  Kinney,  of  Iowa,  was  appointed  Chief 
Justice  to  succeed  Reed,  and  George  P.  Stiles  Associate 
Justice ;  Joseph  Holman,  of  Iowa,  Attorney  General, 
and  Almon  W.  Babbitt  Secretary.  In  the  spring  of 
1855,  W.  W.  Drummond,  of  Illinois,  was  also  appointed 
Associate  Justice. 

In  the  fall  of  1854,  Colonel  Steptoe,  with  about  three 
hundred  men  of  the  United  States  Army,  reached  Salt 
Lake  and  spent  the  winter.  At  the  same  time  quite  a 
number  of  Gentiles,  on  their  way  to  or  returning  from 
California  wintered  in  the  city.  It  is  now  known  that 
Colonel  Steptoe  had  been  secretly  commissioned  Gov¬ 
ernor  of  Utah  by  President  Pierce,  but,  being  of  an  un- 
cautious  disposition,  he  attempted  to  practice  polygamy 
on  a  free  and  easy  plan  not  approved  by  the  Saints, 
the  result  of  which  was  that  he  was  ingeniously  trapped 
by  two  of  Brigham’s  “  decoy  women,”  and  to  avoid  ex¬ 
posure  resigned  his  commission  and  recommended 
Young’s  continuance  in  that  office.  Utah  now  began 
to  be  regarded  as  the  “  Botany  Bay  of  worn-out  politi¬ 
cians  ;”  if  a  man  was  fit  for  nothing  else,  and  yet  had 
to  be  rewarded  for  political  services,  he  was  sent  to 
Utah. 

During  all  the  period  from  1852  to  1856  numerous 
“  Gladdenites  ”  and  other  apostate  and  recusant  Mor¬ 
mons  were  frequently  slipping  away  and  crossing  to 


172 


LIFE  IN  UTAH  ;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 


California  and  Ore¬ 
gon;  and  many  of 
these  parties,  as  well 
as  trains  of  Gentile 
emigrants,  were  har¬ 
assed  in  various 
ways  which  could 
hardly  be  accounted 
for  by  Indian  hos¬ 
tility.  Almon  W. 
Babbitt,  having  quar¬ 
relled  with  Brigham, 
started  across  the 
plains  in  1855  and 
was  murdered  “by 
Indians  who  spoke 
good  English;”  and 
of  this  case  Brigham 
said,  “  He  lived  a 


< 


CALIFORNIA  EMIGRANTS  ATTACKED  AT  THE  HUMBOLDT 

CANON,  UTAH. 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


173 


fool  and  died  like  a  fool.  When  officers  undertake  to 
interfere  with  affairs  that  do  not  concern  them,  I  will 
not  be  far  off.  He  undertook  to  quarrel  with  me  and 
soon  after  was  hilled  by  the  Indians.” 

In  1852  Lieutenant  Gunnison,  M.  Creuzfeldt,  the 
botanist,  and  eight  of  their  party  were  massacred 
near  Sevier  Lake,  by  Indians,  as  then  reported ;  but 
soon  after  escaped  apostates  stated  that  it  was  done  by 
“  painted  Mormons.”  In  1851  a  Mr.  Tobin  came  to 
Salt  Lake  with  a  party  and  while  there  was  quite  inti¬ 
mate  with  Brigham's  family.  It  is  reported  also  that 
he  was  engaged  to  Brigham’s  daughter  Alice  Young. 
He  returned  in  1856,  but  had  some  difficulty  and  left. 
His  party  was  attacked  at  night  on  the  Santa  Clara, 
three  hundred  and  seventy  miles  south,  many  of  them 
wounded  and  six  of  their  horses  killed ;  but  they  es¬ 
caped  by  abandoning  their  baggage. 

Not  an  arroio  was  shot  at  them ,  their  clothing  was 
pierced  by  bullets,  the  wounds  were  evidently  from  the 
best  make  of  rifles  and  they  all  testify  that  the  attack¬ 
ing  party  spoke  English.  Other  parties  of  recusant 
Mormons  were  missed  in  Nevada;  several  emigrants 
from  Missouri  were  last  heard  of  near  Salt  Lake,  and 
others  had  their  stock  run  off  where  it  was  reasonably 
certain  there  were  no  hostile  Indians. 

A  recusant  testifies  that  “one  of  the  Missourians  had 
boasted  of  helping  to  drive  the  Saints  from  Jackson 
County,  and  that  he  was  kidnapped  and  murdered 
under  the  old  mint  by  John  Kay  and  other  ‘Danites.’” 
A  young  man  in  Cache  Valley  had  a  difficulty  with 
the  bishop  in  regard  to  a  girl  whom  the  bishop  wanted 


174  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

for  a  u  plural  wife.”  The  young  man  was  seized  in  a 
canon  by  two  men  with  blackened  faces  and  by  them 
mutilated  in  an  unspeakable  manner.  He  afterwards 
went  to  San  Bernardino,  California,  and  died  insane.  A 
similar  difficulty  arose  in  a  settlement  on  the  Weber, 
and  the  young  man  was  found  dead,  having  received 
two  shots  in  the  hack.  One  general  difficulty  exists  in 
all  these  cases.  The  witnesses  were  all  apostate  Mor¬ 
mons.  While  the  writer  would  not  stigmatize  a  whole 
class,  among  whom  he  has  many  pleasant  acquaintances, 
and  which  contains  some  thoroughly  honest  and  reli¬ 
able  men,  yet  it  must  be  confessed  that,  of  those  who 
have  lived  Mormons  for  a  term  of  years  the  outside 
world  must  always  remain  in  doubt. 

There  were  very  few  Gentiles  in  Salt  Lake,  their  in¬ 
terest  required  that  they  should  know  nothing  outside 
their  business,  and  they  generally  took  care  to  make  no 
inquiry.  Hence  little  definite  and  positive  proof  of  the 
affairs  of  that  period  was  laid  before  the  Government ; 
but  these  reports  spread  through  the  West  and  con¬ 
stantly  increased  the  bitterness  against  the  Mormons. 
Had  the  latter  shown  any  willingness  to  throw  light 
upon  disputed  points,  their  case  would  have  a  much 
better  appearance.  But  their  preaching  constantly  ex¬ 
cited  the  people  to  greater  hostility  against  the  Gov¬ 
ernment,  and  their  courts  and  officers  regularly  thwart¬ 
ed  every  attempt  of  the  Federal  officials  to  inquire 
into  reported  crimes  or  bring  offenders  to  justice.  In 
the  fall  of  1856,  it  became  no  longer  possible  for  the 
Federal  Judges  to  maintain  the  independence  of  their 
courts.  The  Mormons  claimed  that  the  Territorial 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


175 


Marshal  should  select  the  jurors  for  Federal  courts 
when  doing  Territorial  business,  instead  of  the  United 
States  Marshal. 

Pending  the  decision  of  this  question,  James  Fergu¬ 
son,  Hosea  Stout,  and  other  Mormon  lawyers  and 
officials,  entered  the  court-room  with  an  armed  mob, 
and  compelled  Judge  Stiles  to  adjourn  his  court. 
Thomas  Williams,  a  Mormon  lawyer,  who  had  an 
office  with  Judge  Stiles,  protested  against  this  action, 
for  which  his  life  was  threatened.  He  soon  after  tried 
to  escape  to  California,  but  was  murdered  on  the  way. 

The  records  of  the  District  Courts  were  soon  after 
stolen  from  Judge  Stiles’s  office  and,  as  he  supposed  at 
the  time,  destroyed.  Both  the  Gentile  J udges  soon  after 
left  the  Territory,  reaching  the  States  in  the  spring 
of  1857.  The  Mormons  were  now  in  open  rebellion. 
Congress  was  not  in  session,  but  President  Buchanan 
and  War  Secretary  Floyd  determined  to  send  an  armed 
force  with  new  officials.  Accordingly,  a  force  of  nearly 
three  thousand  men  was  sent  forward  from  Leaven¬ 
worth,  under  the  command  of  Gen.  W.  S.  Harney, 
who  was,  while  on  the  plains,  superseded  by  Col. 
Albert  Sidney  Johnston.  At  the  same  time  new  men 
were  appointed  to  all  the  civil  offices,  as  follows : 
Governor,  Alexander  Cumming ;  Chief  Justice,  D.  R. 
Eckles ;  Associate  Justices,  John  Cradlebaugh  and 
Charles  E.  Sinclair,  and  Secretary,  John  Hartnet. 

The  march  of  the  column  was  delayed  for  various 
reasons,  and  it  was  late  in  September  before  the  army, 
accompanied  by  the  officials,  crossed  Green  River  and 
entered  the  Territory.  Meanwhile  Captain  Van  Vliet, 


176  LIFE  IN  UTAH  ;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

an  active  and  discreet  officer,  had  been  sent  forward 
to  purchase  provisions  for  the  army  and  assure  the 
people  of  Salt  Lake  of  the  peaceful  intentions  of  the 
Government.  On  his  arrival  there,  he  was  amazed  to 
find  them  preparing  for  war. 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


177 


CHAPTER  VI. 

THE  BLOODY  PERIOD. 

Sounds  of  war  in  Utah — Popular  excitement — Fears  of  the  disaffected — 
Attempted  flight — Murder  of  the  Potter  and  Parrish  familes — Massacre 
of  the  Aiken  party — Assassination  of  Yates — Killing  of  Forbes — Brig¬ 
ham  “Turns  loose  the  Indians” — Mountain  Meadow  Massacre — 
Horrible  barbarity  of  Indians  and  Mormons — Evidence  in  the  case — 
Attempt  of  Judge  Cradlebaugh — Progress  of  the  “Mormon  War” — 
Delay  of  the  army — Treachery  or  inefficiency  ? — Mormon  Legion — Lieu¬ 
tenant-General  Wells — Brigham  “Commands”  the  National  troops  to 
withdraw — Army  trains  destroyed — Lot  Smith,  the  Mormon  Guerilla — 
The  “Army  of  Utah”  in  Winter  Quarters — Colonel  Kane  again — Ne¬ 
gotiations  with  Brigham — Governor  Cumming  “passed”  through  the 
Mormon  lines— “  Peace  Commissioners  ” — Mormon  exodus — Weakness 
of  Cumming — End  of  the  War — Murders  of  Pike,  the  Jones’s,  Bernard, 
Drown,  Arnold,  McNeil  and  others — A  change  at  last 

We  enter  now  upon  the  black  chapter  in  the  annals 
of  Utah — a  period  replete  with  crime  and  stained  with 
innocent  blood.  Occasional  rumors  of  the  march  of  the 
army  had  reached  Salt  Lake  early  in  the  season,  and 
on  the  24th  of  July,  when  the  entire  population  were 
collected  in  Cottonwood  Park  to  celebrate  “  Anniversary 
Day,”  “  Port  ”  Rockwell  and  John  Kimball  appeared 
among  them  j  ust  from  the  plains,  and  announced  that 
the  column  was  certainly  destined  for  Utah.  Brigham 
turned  to  those  nearest  him  and  with  a  savage  scowl 
remarked,  66 1  said  when  we  reached  here  that  if  the 
devils  would  only  give  us  ten  years  I’d  be  ready  for 
them.  They’ve  taken  me  at  my  word,  and  now  they 
12 


178  LIFE  IN  UTAH  ;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

will  see  that  I  am  ready.”  The  news  spread  rapidly 
throughout  the  settlements,  producing  everywhere  fierce 
anger  or  a  mixture  of  hope  and  dread,  according  as  the 
hearer  was  firm  in  the  Mormon  faith  or  secretly  dissat¬ 
isfied.  The  Tabernacle  and  Ward  Assembly  Rooms 
resounded  with  harangues  in  fierce  denunciation  of  the 
Government,  and  Brigham  Young  and  Heber  C.  Kim¬ 
ball  vied  with  each  other  in  vile  language  and  inflam¬ 
matory  appeals. 

Brigham  repeatedly  stated  that  “if  any  proved  traitor, 
or  attempted  to  shield  his  own  when  the  day  came  to 
burn  and  lay  waste,  he  should  be  sheared  down ;  for 
judgment  should  be  laid  to  the  line  and  righteousness 
to  the  plummet.”  The  effect  of  such  teaching  upon  a 
fanatical  people  may  well  be  imagined.  A  perfect 
reign  of  terror  ensued.  Of  those  devoted  to  Brigham, 
every  one  was  a  spy  upon  his  neighbors,  while  the  dis¬ 
affected  trembled  at  the  storm,  and  made  efforts  to 
escape.  *  Two  men  by  the  name  of  Parrish  at  Spring- 
ville,  just  south  of  Utah  Lake,  had  declared  their 
intention  to  start  for  California.  The  night  before 
their  intended  departure  their  stock  was  run  off,  and 
going  to  search  for  it  they  were  murdered  but  a  few 
hundred  yards  from  their  dwelling,  and  after  death 
their  bodies  mutilated  in  a  shocking  manner.  Two  of 
their  neighbors,  by  the  name  of  Potter,  were  killed  at 
the  same  time.  One  Yates,  a  mountaineer,  passing 
westward  was  assassinated  in  Echo  Canon,  and  a  party 
of  six  from  California,  under  the  command  of  a  Mr. 
Aikin,  were  attacked  west  of  Salt  Lake,  and  four  of 
them  instantly  killed.  The  other  two  were  promised 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


179 


they  “  should  be  sent  out  of  the  Territory  by  the 
southern  route,”  and,  in  pursuance  of  that  promise, 
started  south  under  guard.  They  were  never  again 
heard  of,  and  by  the  testimony  of  an  apostate  woman, 
Alice  Lamb,  they  were  killed  and  their  bodies  thrown 
into  a  large  spring  near  the  road.  She  adds  that  one 
was  only  stunned  by  the  first  shot,  when  Porter  Rock¬ 
well  stepped  up,  placed  a  pistol  to  his  ear,  and,  adding, 
“  This  never  misses,”  literally  blew  out  his  brains.  The 
Mormons  aver  that  this  was  a  party  of  gamblers,  that 
they  carried  with  them  “  powders  to  drug  Mormon  wo¬ 
men,”  and  that  they  deserved  death  anyhow ;”  and  in 
all  such  cases  they  have  established  the  principle  of 
assassination.  In  this  time  of  excitement,  suspicion 
was  proof.  About  the  same  time  Brigham  Young, 
preaching  in  the  Tabernacle,  stated  that  hitherto  as 
Governor  and  Indian  Agent  he  “had  protected  emi¬ 
grants  passing  through  the  territory,  but  now  he  would 
turn  the  Indians  loose  upon  them.”  This  hint  was  as 
good  as  a  letter  of  marque  to  the  land  pirates  of  south¬ 
ern  Utah,  and  was  not  long  in  being  acted  upon.  Early 
in  August,  and  before  the  excitement  had  reached  its 
greatest  height,  a  large  train  on  its  way  to  California 
reached  Salt  Lake  City.  Doctor  Brewer,  of  the  United 
States  Army,  who  saw  this  train  last  at  O’Fallon’s 
Bluff  on  the  Platte,  the  11th  of  June  preceding,  de¬ 
scribes  it  as  “  probably  the  finest  train  that  had  ever 
crossed  the  plains.  There  seemed  to  be  forty  heads 
of  families,  many  women,  some  unmarried,  and  many 
children.  They  had  three  carriages;  one  very  fine, 
in  which  ladies  rode  and  to  which  he  made  several 


180  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

visits  as  he  journeyed  with  them.  There  was  some¬ 
thing  peculiar  in  the  construction  of  the  carriage,  its 
ornaments,  the  blazoned  stag’s  head  upon  the  panels, 
etc.  ”  This  carriage  was  many  years  afterwards  in  the 
possession  of  the  Mormons. 

In  Salt  Lake  City  several  disaffected  Mormons  joined 
the  train,  and  all  proceeded  by  the  southern  route.  The 
train  was  last  seen  entire  by  Jacob  Hamlin,  Indian  sub- 
agent  for  the  Pah-Utes,  who  lived  at  the  upper  end  of 
the  Mountain  Meadow.  He  met  them  at  Corn  Creek, 
eight  miles  south  of  Fillmore,  while  on  his  way  to  Salt 
Lake  City.  Thenceforward  no  more  was  heard  of  the 
train;  it  was  “lost,”  and  a  whole  year  had  passed  be¬ 
fore  any  news  of  its  fate  reached  the  officials. 

Nor  was  it  till  many  years  afterwards,  that  all  the 
damning  facts  in  regard  to  its  destruction  were  brought 
to  light.  But  when  revealed,  it  stands  forth  pre-emi¬ 
nent  in  shocking  barbarity  above  all  that  has  occurred 
in  American  history,  scarcely  equalled  by  aught  in  the 
old  world,  and  certainly  not  by  anything  in  the  history 
of  our  English  race.  The  massacre  of  Glencoe  pales 
in  comparison. 

Without  going  into  detail  of  the  witnesses  examined, 
or  the  evidence  of  each,  suffice  it  to  give  events  as  they 
occurred,  and  as  they  were  fully  proved  in  various  ex¬ 
aminations  since  made.  Mountain  Meadow  is  three 
hundred  miles  from  Salt  Lak£,  on  the  road  to  Los  An¬ 
gelos,  California.  The  meadows  are  about  five  miles  in 
length  and  one  in  width,  on  the  “  divide  ”  between  the 
waters  of  the  Great  Basin  and  the  Colorado.  A  very 
large  spring  rises  near  the  south  end,  by  which  the  em- 


AND  CHIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


181 


igrants  camped  for  a  few  days,  having  been  told  by 
Hamlin  that  this  was  the  best  place  to  rest  and  recruit 
their  stock  before  entering  upon  the  Great  Desert. 
Thirty-four  miles  below  the  Meadow  is  a  Mormon  set¬ 
tlement  on  the  Santa  Clara ;  thirty  miles  north  is  Cedar 
City,  and  eighteen  miles  east  of  that  is  the  town  of 
Harmony.  From  the  “  divide  ”  down  to  the  Colorado, 
are  a  few  Pah-Ute  Indians,  and  north  to  Fillmore,  a 
small  tribe  of  Pah-Vents.  The  day  after  the  emigrants 
passed  Cedar  City,  a  grand  council  was  called  there  by 
Bishop  Higbee  and  President  J.  C.  Haight  of  that  town, 
and  Bishop  John  D.  Lee  of  Harmony.  They  stated 
that  they  had  received  a  command  from  Salt  Lake  City 
“  to  follow  and  attack  those  accursed  Gentiles  and  let 
the  arrows  of  the  Almighty  drink  their  blood.” 

A  force  of  sixty  men  was  soon  raised,  and  joined 
with  a  much  larger  force  of  Indians,  encircled  the 
emigrants’  camp  before  daylight.  The  white  men  had 
meanwhile  painted  and  disguised  themselves  as  Indians. 
A  portion  crept  down  a  ravine  near  the  camp,  and  fired 
upon  the  emigrants  while  at  breakfast,  killing  ten  or 
twelve. 

The  latter  were  completely  taken  by  surprise,  but 
seized  their  arms,  shoved  the  wagons  together,  sunk 
the  wheels  in  the  earth,  and  got  in  condition  for 
defence.  The  idea  that  enough  of  the  Utes  of  that 
district  could  be  got  together  to  attack  /  a  train  with 
fifty  armed  men,  is  too  absurd  to  be  entertained  for  a 
moment,  and  the  emigrants  had  rested  in  the  ease  of 
fancied  security. 

But  their  resistance  was  far  greater  than  the  Mor- 


182  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

mons  had  expected;  and  there  for  an  entire  week, 
with  their  women  and  children  lying  in  the  trenches 
they  had  dug,  they  maintained  the  siege  and  kept  the 
savages,  as  they  supposed,  at  bay.  And  all  of  this 
time,  as  testified  by  Mrs.  Hamlin,  wife  of  the  Agent, 
the  shots  were  constantly  heard  at  Hamlin’s  ranche, 
and  parties  of  Mormons,  bishops,  elders  and  laymen, 
were  coming  and  going  to  and  from  the  ranche,  eating 
and  drinking  there,  and  “pitching  quoits  and  amusing 
themselves  in  various  ways?  They  had  the  emigrants 
effectually  secured,  and  could  afford  to  divide  time  and 
slaughter  the  Gentiles  at  their  leisure.  But  at  the  end 
of  a  week  they  grew  tired  and  resolved  upon  strategy. 
The  firing  ceased,  and  while  the  weary  and  heart-sick 
emigrants  looked  for  relief,  and  hoped  that  their  savage 
foes  had  given  up  the  attack,  they  saw,  at  the  upper 
end  of  the  little  hollow  in  which  they  were,  a  wagon 
full  of  men.  The  latter  raised  a  white  flag,  and  it  was 
perceived  they  were  white  men.  A  glad  shout  of  joy 
rang  through  the  corral  at  the  sight  of  men  of  their 
own  color,  their  protectors,  as  they  had  every  reason  to 
believe.  They  held  up  a  little  girl  dressed  in  white  to 
answer  the  signal,  and  the  party  entered.  The  wagon 
contained  J.  C.  Haight,  John  D.  Lee  and  other  dignitar 
ries.  They  accused  the  emigrants  of  having  poisoned 
a  spring  on  the  road  used  by  the  Indians,  which  was 
denied.  It  afterwards  appeared  in  evidence  that  the 
spring  ran  so  strong  that  “  a  barrel  of  arsenic  would 
not  have  poisoned  it.”  The  Mormons  said  they  were 
on  good  terms  with  the  Indians,  but  the  latter  were 
very  angry,  and  would  not  let  the  emigrants  escape. 


* 


MOUNTAIN  MEADOW  MASSACRE— 132  EMIGRANTS  KILLED  BY  MORMONS  AND  INDIANS. 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


183 


The  Mormons  would,  however,  intercede  for  the  latter, 
if  desired.  This  offer  was  gladly  accepted,  and  after  a 
few  hours’  absence  the  Mormons  returned  and  stated 
that  the  Indians  gave  as  an  ultimatum,  that  the 
emigrants  should  give  up  all  their  property,  particu¬ 
larly  their  guns ,  and  go  back  the  way  they  came. 
The  Mormons  promised  in  this  case  to  guard  them 
back  to  the  settlements.  These  hard  terms  were 
acceded  to,  and  the  emigrants  left  their  wagons  and 
started  northward  on  foot. 

The  women  and  children  were  in  front,  the  men  be¬ 
hind  them,  and  a  Mormon  guard  of  forty  men  in  the 
rear.  A  mile  or  so  from  the  spring,  the  road  runs 
through  a  thicket  of  scrub  oaks,  where  are  also  many 
large  rocks,  and  here  a  force  of  Indians  lay  in  ambush. 
At  an  agreed  signal,  a  sudden  fire  was  poured  into  the 
body  of  emigrants,  and  then  Mormons  and  Indians 
together  rushed  upon  them,  shooting,  cutting  their 
throats,  beating  them  to  death  with  stones  and  clubs  ; 
and  in  a  very  few  minutes  a  hundred  and  twenty  men, 
women  and  children,  Americans,  Christians,  Gentiles, 
lay  dead  upon  the  ground,  the  miserable,  hapless  vic¬ 
tims  of  Mormonism.  The  Mormons  and  Indians  fell 
upon  the  women,  bit  and  tore  the  rings  from  their  fin¬ 
gers  and  ears,  and  trampled  in  the  faces  of  the  dying. 
One  young  girl  was  dragged  aside  by  President  Haight, 
and  kneeling  implored  him  for  life.  He  violated  her 
with  shameful  barbarity,  then  beat  out  her  brains  with 
a  club.  Another  young  woman  was  taken  out  of  the 
throng  by  John  D.  Lee.  He  afterwards  stated  he  in¬ 
tended  to  save  her  life  and  take  her  to  his  harem ;  but 


184  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

that  she  struck  at  him  with  a  large  knife,  when  he  im¬ 
mediately  shot  her  through  the  head.  Three  men  es¬ 
caped.  One  starved  to  death  upon  the  desert,  another 
was  murdered  by  the  Indians  ninety  miles  south,  and 
the  third  was  killed  upon  the  Colorado,  by  whom  is  not 
known.  Seventeen  children  were  saved  alive,  who 
were  supposed  to  be  too  young  to  remember  anything 
about  the  circumstance.  But  two  of  them  did,  and  af¬ 
terwards  gave  important  evidence. 

The  children  were  first  taken  to  Mrs.  Hamlin’s,  and 
afterwards  distributed  among  Mormon  families  in  the 
neighborhood ;  one  was  shot  through  the  arm  and  lost 
the  use  of  it.  They  were  all  recovered  two  years  after 
and  returned  to  their  friends  in  the  States.  The  prop¬ 
erty  was  divided,  the  Indians  getting  most  of  the  flour 
and  ammunition;  but  they  claim  that  the  Mormons 
kept  more  than  their  share.  Much  of  it  was  sold  in 
Cedar  City  at  public  auction ;  it  was  there  facetiously 
styled,  “  Property  taken  at  the  siege  of  Sebastopol ;  ” 
and  there  is  legal  proof  that  the  clothing  stripped  from 
the  corpses,  spotted  with  blood  and  flesh  and  shredded 
by  bullets,  was  placed  in  the  cellar  of  the  tithing  office 
and  privately  sold.  As  late  as  1862,  jewelry  taken  at 
Mountain  Meadow,  was  worn  in  Salt  Lake  City,  and 
the  source  it  came  from  not  denied. 

Such  was  the  Mountain  Meadow  Massacre ;  and  to 
the  eternal  disgrace  of  American  justice,  not  one  of  the 
perpetrators  has  ever  been  punished  according  to  law. 
But  the  vengeance  of  heaven  has  not  spared  them. 
Some  of  the  young  men  in  the  Mormon  party  have 
since  removed  to  California,  and  others  apostatized. 
They  earnestly  insist  that  they  were  never  informed 


AND  CEIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


185 


that  any  killing  was  intended ;  that  they  were  told  the 
only  object  was  to  turn  back  the  emigrants  and  pre¬ 
vent  their  carrying  information  to  California ;  that  no 
more  than  a  dozen  white  men,  besides  the  bishops  and 
President,  were  in  the  secret,  and  that  these  with  the 
Indians  did  all  the  killing.  This  is  the  present  belief 
of  most  of  the  Mormons,  and  they  add  that  Haight 
and  Lee  forged  the  order  from  Brigham  Young,  which 
was  produced  in  extenuation  of  the  crime.  Two  of  the 
principal  perpetrators  are  now  insane.  John  D.  Lee 
still  resides  in  Harmony,  no  longer  a  bishop,  and  one 
can  scarcely  restrain  a  feeling  of  satisfaction  at  know¬ 
ing  that  his  life  is  one  of  misery.  He  is  shunned  and 
hated  even  by  his  Mormon  neighbors,  he  seldom  ven¬ 
tures  beyond  the  square  upon  which  he  lives,  his  mind 
is  distracted  by  an  unceasing  dread  of  vengeance,  and 
his  intellect  disordered. 

Though  a  too  lenient  government  has  failed  of  its  duty, 
yet,  in  the  sufferings  of  a  fearful  mind,  he  anticipates 
the  hell  his  crimes  deserve.  Some  months  passed 
away  before  it  was  even  whispered  in  the  northern 
district  that  white  men  were  concerned  in  this  affair ; 
and  to  the  credit  of  the  Mormon  people  be  it  said,  a 
great  horror  spread  among  them  at  the  report.  A 
lady,  then  resident  at  Springville,  told  me  that  the 
people  of  that  place  first  learned  of  the  massacre  the 
next  spring,  and  the  complicity  of  white  men  was  put 
beyond  doubt,  in  her  mind,  by  the  confession  of  her 
cousin,  who  was  in  the  party  but  claimed  he  did  not 
assist  at  the  killing.  “  For  weeks,”  she  added :  “  I 
and  the  other  women  could  not  sleep  for  hearing  the 
screams  and  groans  of  the  poor  creatures  in  our  ears. 


186 


LIFE  IN  UTAH  ;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 


We  thought  we  saw  signs  in  the  sky.  We  trembled 
in  dread.  We  wanted  to  run  away  from  the  land,  for 
we  thought  it  was  cursed — that  the  vengeance  of  God 
would  destroy  everybody  in  the  southern  district.” 
The  lady  escaped  to  Fort  Bridger,  and  afterwards 
married  a  Gentile.  The  superstitious  fears,  of  which 
she  speaks,  still  rest  in  many  minds ;  nor  is  it  difficult 
to  believe  that,  in  the  mysterious  decrees  of  the  moral 
order,  the  fearful  stain  must  be  washed  out  in  blood. 
The  guilty  have  escaped  earthly  justice;  but  to  the 
eye  of  faith  an  avenging  Nemesis  is  poised  upon  the 
mountains  of  southern  Utah,  and  pointing  to  the  plains 
below  demands  “  blood  for  blood.” 

One  question  remains :  Did  Brigham  Young  know 
aught  of,  or  give  command  for  this  massacre  ?  The 
strong  probability  of  course,  is,  that  he  did  not.  The 
majority  of  the  Mormons,  while  they  admit  that  church 
officials  were  concerned,  yet  claim  that  they  acted  with¬ 
out  Brigham’s  knowledge,  and  his  own  family  add,  that 
when  news  of  the  affair  was  brought  him,  he  burst  into 
tears  and  said,  “  If  anything  could  break  up  and  destroy 
this  people,  that  one  act  would  do  it.”  Against  these 
opinions  there  are  many  strong  proofs  :  the  evidence  of 
the  Mormons  and  Indians  engaged  in  the  affair;  the 
failure  of  Brigham  to  give  any  account  of  it,  whatever, 
in  his  next  report  as  Indian  Superintendent ;  the  com¬ 
plete  silence  of  his  organ,  the  Church  paper,  on  the 
subject;  his  sermon  “turning  loose  the  Indians  on  emi¬ 
grants  ;  ”  the  fact  that  John  D.  Lee  is  his  son  by  Mormon 
“  adoption ,”  and  has  never  been  punished  ;  the  testimony 
of  the  young  Mormons  who  escaped  from  Harmony  to 
California,  and  more  than  all  else,  the  overwhelming 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


187 


certainty  that  no  fact  of  great  importance  is  ever  en¬ 
tered  upon  without  the  advice  and  consent  of  Brigham 
Young.  .  An  attempt  was  made  by  Judge  Cradiebaugh, 
in  the  autumn  of  1859,  to  bring  the  murderers  to  justice, 
which  failed  from  causes  to  be  hereafter  fully  explained — 
Mormon  courts  and  juries. 

I  resume  the  regular  history.  On  the  15th  of  Sep¬ 
tember,  1857,  Brigham  issued  a  proclamation  putting 
the  Territory  under  martial  law ;  all  the  militia  and 
able-bodied  men  were  ordered  “  to  hold  themselves  in 
readiness  to  march  at  a  moment’s  notice  to  repel  inva¬ 
sion,”  and  Lieutenant-General  Daniel  H.  Wells  was 
ordered  with  two  thousand  men  to  “  occupy  the  passes 
of  the  Wasatch  mountains,  to  defend  their  hearths  and 
homes  against  the  violence  of  the  army.”  Echo  Canon 
was  fortified,  and  orders  issued  to  harass  the  Federal 
Army  in  every  way,  by  driving  off  stock,  burning 
wagons  and  blocking  up  the  roads,  but  to  take  no  lives 
till  further  ordered.  Besides  several  other  papers, 
Brigham  sent  to  the  commander  of  the  United  States 
forces  the  following  remarkable  document : 


“Governor’s  Office,  Utah  Territory, 
Great  Salt  Lake  City,  September  29,  1857. 


;} 


“  Sir  :  By  reference  to  the  Act  of  Congress,  passed 
September  9,  1850,  organizing  the  Territory  of  Utah, 
published  in  a  copy  of  the  Laws  of  Utah,  herewith,  p. 
146,  Chap.  7,  you  will  find  the  following : 

“  c  Sec.  2.  And  be  it  further  enacted ,  That  the  ex¬ 
ecutive  power  in  and  over  said  Territory  of  Utah  shall 
be  vested  in  a  Governor,  who  shall  hold  his  office  for 
four  years,  and  until  his  successor  shall  be  appointed  and 


188 


LIFE  IN  UTAH  j  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 


qualified,  unless  sooner  removed  by  the  President  of  the 
United  States.  The  Governor  shall  reside  within  said 
Territory,  shall  be  Commander-in-Chief  of  the  militia 
thereof,’  etc.,  etc. 

“I  am  still  the  Governor  and  Superintendent  of 
Indian  Affairs  for  this  Territory,  no  successor  having 
been  appointed  and  qualified,  as  provided  by  law,  nor 
have  I  been  removed  by  the  President  of  the  United 
States. 

“By  virtue  of  the  authority  thus  vested  in  me,  I 
have  issued  and  forwarded  you  a  copy  of  my  proclamar 
tion,  forbidding  the  entrance  of  armed  forces  into  this 
Territory.  This  you  have  disregarded.  I  now  further 
direct  that  you  retire  forthwith  from  the  Territory  by 
the  same  route  you  entered.  Should  you  deem  this 
impracticable,  and  prefer  to  remain  until  spring  in  the 
vicinity  of  your  present  encampment,  Black’s  Fork,  or 
Green  River,  you  can  do  so  in  peace,  and  unmolested, 
on  condition  that  you  deposit  your  arms  and  ammuni¬ 
tion  with  Lewis  Robinson,  Quartermaster-General  of 
the  Territory,  and  leave  in  the  spring,  as  soon  as  the 
condition  of  the  roads  will  permit  you  to  march.  And 
should  you  fall  short  of  provisions,  they  can  be  fur¬ 
nished  you  by  making  the  proper  applications  therefor. 

“General  D,  H.  Wells  will  forward  this,  and  receive 
any  communications  you  may  have  to  make. 

“Very  respectfully, 

“  Brigham  Young, 

“  Governor  and  Superintendent  of  Indian  Affairs,  Utah 
Territory. 

“To  the  Officer  commanding  the  Forces  now  in¬ 
vading  Utah  Territory.” 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


189 


It  is  difficult  to  believe  that  the  Federal  forces  were 
handled  with  any  skill  whatever,  the  official  report  in¬ 
dicating  that  troops  and  supplies  were  scattered  without 
order  all  the  way  from  Green  River  to  the  head  of  Echo 
Canon ;  and  the  following  extract  from  the  official  re¬ 
port  will  show  that  the  Mormon  forces  were  “  obeying 
orders 

“  Forts  Bridger  and  Supply  were  vacated  and  burned 
down.  Orders  were  issued  by  Daniel  H.  Wells  (Lieut. - 
General  Nauvoo  Legion)  to  stampede  the  animals  of  the 
United  States  troops  on  their  march,  to  set  fire  to  their 
trains,  to  burn  the  grass  and  the  whole  country  before 
them  and  on  their  flanks,  to  keep  them  from  sleeping  by 
night  surprises,  and  to  block  the  roads  by  felling  trees 
and  destroying  the  fords  of  rivers. 

“  On  the  4th  of  October,  1857,  the  Mormons,  under 
Captain  Lot  Smith,  captured  and  burned  on  Green 
River,  three  of  our  supply  trains,  consisting  of  seventy- 
five  wagons  loaded  with  provisions  and  tents  for  the 
army,  and  carried  away  several  hundred  animals.” 

Late  in  the  fall  the  army  halted  at  Fort  Bridger,  and 
wintered  at  a  place  which  was  called  Camp  Scott.  No¬ 
vember  21st,  the  newly-appointed  Governor,  Gumming, 
issued  a  proclamation,  which  might  be  summed  up  in  a 
little  advice  to  the  Mormons  “  to  go  home  and  obey  the 
laws,  and  they  would  not  be  molested.” 

While  matters  were  in  statu  quo ,  in  January,  1858, 
Colonel  Kane,  the  old  friend  of  the  Mormons,  proceeded 
to  California  by  sea,  thence  into  Utah  by  the  southern 
route,  and  reaching  Salt  Lake  City,  opened  negotiations 
with  Brigham  Young.  Soon  after  he  was  escorted  by 


190  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

Porter  Rockwell  and  Daniel  Kimball  through  the 
Mormon  army,  and  thence  found  his  way  to  Fort 
Bridger,  and  had  a  lengthy  interview  with  the  Federal 
officials.  The  result  was  that  Governor  Cumming  ac¬ 
companied  him  on  his  return,  and  was  permitted  to  pass 
through  the  Mormon  forces  to  Salt  Lake  City.  He  was 
much  flattered  with  his  reception,  particularly  by  an 
illumination  in  his  honor,  of  Echo  Canon,  which  they 
passed  in  the  night.  They  were  escorted  by  Kimball 
and  Rockwell,  and  reached  the  city  early  in  the  spring ; 
the  Mormons  hastened  to  assure  him  that  “  the  rebel¬ 
lion  in  Utah  was  a  pure  invention,”  and  the  records 
which  were  supposed  to  have  been  destroyed,  were  pro- 

nly  been  concealed, 
m  were  *  bestowed  upon  the 
Governor  that  he  was  completely  captivated,  and  such 
earnest  representations  made  that  he  was  soon  con¬ 
vinced  the  Mormons  were  an  innocent  and  much 
abused  people,  and  was  anxious  to  spare  them  all 
humiliation  possible.  But  he  could  not  control  the 
army  which  had  orders  from  the  Secretary  of  War. 
He  reported  a  “ respectful  reception”  to  Washington, 
and  on  the  12th  of  April,  Mr.  Buchanan  appointed 
L.  W.  Powell,  of  Kentucky,  and  Ben  McCulloch,  of 
Texas,  as  “  Peace  Commissioners,”  'and  by  them  sent  a 
proclamation  of  pardon  !  But  Brigham  Young  had 
given  orders  for  a  move,  and  early  in  April,  20,000 
people  from  the  city  and  north  of  it  started  south,  they 
knew  not  where,  but  many  supposed  it  was  to  Mexico. 
Governor  Cumming  in  vain  implored  them  to  remain. 
Old  Mormons  have  often  described  to  me  how  he  stood 


duced  entire  !  They  had  o 
Such  flattery  and  attenti( 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMQNISM. 


191 


upon  the  street  as  the  long  trains  rolled  southward, 
with  the  tears  streaming  from  his  eyes,  and  protested, 
“  if  he  followed  his  feelings  he  would  rather  go  with 
them  than  remain  with  the  apostates.”  Late  that 
month  he  issued  a  proclamation  offering  “  protection 
to  all  illegally  restrained  of  their  liberty  in  Utah,”  but 
few  availed  themselves  of  it.  The  latter  part  of  May, 
the  Peace  Commissioners  arrived,  and  had  an  interview 
with  the  leading  Mormons.  The  latter  stipulated  that 
the  army  should  not  be  stationed  within  forty  miles  of 
the  city ;  that  they  should  protect  private  property ; 
should  march  through  the  city  without  halting,  and 
must  not  encamp  till  they  passed  the  Jordan.  They 
promised  on  their  part  everything  that  was  asked  and 
“ accepted  the  President’s  pardon.” 

June  26th  the  Federal  army  marched  through  the 
deserted  city,  led  by  Lieutenant-Colonel  Cooke,  who, 
according  to  Mormon  account,  “rode  with  his  head 
uncovered.”  Their  permanent  camp  was  at  a  point 
west  of  Utah  Lake,  and  forty  miles  south  of  the  city, 
which  was  named  Camp  Floyd.  Late  in  the  season 
the  absent  Mormons  returned  to  their  homes  in  great 
poverty  and  destitution,  and  the  “Mormon  war”  was 
ended.  The  Federal  officials  entered  again  upon  their 
duties;  courts  were  reopened  and  attempts  made  to 
administer  justice;  but  no  grand  jury  would  indict 
and  no  petty  jury  convict,  and  criminals  went  “scot 
free.”  The  following  cases  appear  upon  the  record : 

“  During  the  sitting  of  J udge  Sinclair’s  Court,  the 
Mormon  Grand  Jury  promptly  found  a  bill  of  indict¬ 
ment  against  one  Ralph  Pike,  a  Sergeant  in  Company 


192  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

I,  of  the  10th  Infantry,  United  States  Army,  for  an 
assault  with  intent  to  kill,  committed  upon  one  How¬ 
ard  Spencer,  the  son  of  a  Mormon  bishop,  at  the  mili¬ 
tary  reserve  in  Rush  Valley.  Upon  capias  issued,  Pike 
was  arrested  and  brought  to  Great  Salt  Lake  City. 
The  day  following,  August  11,  1858,  about  12  o’clock, 
M.,  as  Pike  was  entering  the  Salt  Lake  House,  on  Main 
street,  Spencer  stepped  up  to  him  from  behind,  saying, 
‘  Are  you  the  man  that  struck  me  in  Rush  V alley  ?  ’  at 
the  same  time  drawing  his  pistol,  and  shot  him  through 
the  side,  inflicting  a  mortal  wound.  Spencer  ran  across 
the  street,  mounted  his  horse  and  rode  off  accompanied 
by  several  noted  ‘  Danites.’  a  Pike  lingered  in  dreadful 
agony  two  days  before  he  died.  The  6  Deseret  News,’ 
in  its  next  issue,  lauded  young  Spencer  for  his  courage 
and  bravery. 

66  A  man  by  the  name  of  Drown  brought  suit  upon  a 
promissory  note  for  $480,  against  the  ‘Danite’  captain, 
Bill  Hickman.  The  case  being  submitted  to  the  court, 
Drown  obtained  a  judgment.  A  few  days  afterwards 
Drown  and  a  companion  named  Arnold  were  stopping 
at  the  house  of  a  friend  in  Salt  Lake  City,  when  Hick¬ 
man  with  some  seven  or  eight  of  his  band  rode  up  to 
the  house  and  called  for  Drown  to  come  out.  Drown 
suspecting  foul  play  refused  to  do  so  and  locked  the 
doors.  The  Danites  thereupon  dismounted  from  their 
horses,  broke  down  the  doors  and  shot  down  both  Drown 
and  Arnold.  Drown  died  of  his  wounds  next  morning, 
and  Arnold  a  few  days  afterwards.  Hickman  and  his 
band  rode  off  unmolested. 

“  Thus,  during  a  single  term  of  the  court  held  in  a 
Mormon  community,  the  warm  life-blood  of  three  human 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMOJNMSM. 


193 


\ 


victims  is  shed  upon  the  very  threshhold  of  the  court ; 
and  although  the  Grand  Jury  is  in  session  no  prosecu¬ 
tion  is  attempted,  and  not  one  of  the  offenders  brought 
to  justice.” 

Soon  after,  a  deaf  and  dumb  hoy  named  Andrew 
Bernard  was  killed  in  Weber  Canon,  as  was  pretty 
clearly  proved  by  “  Ephe  ”  Hanks,  a  noted  66  Danite ;  ” 
and  an  apostate  named  Forbes  was  found  dead.  The 
same  y ear  one  Henry  Jones  and  his  mother  living  near 
Pondtown,  south  of  Utah  Lake,  were  accused  of  horse¬ 
stealing  by  their  neighbors.  They  were  attacked  at 
night  and  the  woman  instantly  killed ;  the  young  man 
escaped  and  ran  some  two  miles  pursued  by  the  “  Dan- 
ites.”  He  was  finally  captured  and  a  pistol  placed  to 
his  ear  and  discharged,  blowing  his  head  to  pieces. 
Both  the  bodies  were  placed  in  their  dwelling,  a  “  dug- 
out  ”  half  under  the  ground ;  the  roof  was  then  thrown 
down  upon  them  and  covered  with  dirt,  making  that 
their  only  grave.  The  next  winter  a  Mormon  bishop 
of  that  locality  killed  one  of  his  wives  for  alleged  in¬ 
fidelity,  and  one  Franklin  McNeil,  who  had  sued  Brig¬ 
ham  Young  for  false  imprisonment,  was  shot  dead  in 
his  own  door. 

Another  abomination  of  that  bloody  period  was  not 
brought  to  light  till  long  after. 

Early  in  1858,  while  the  army  was  yet  at  Fort 
Bridger,  eighty  discharged  teamsters  started  through 
the  city  to  California.  An  officer  of  the  Nauvoo  Le¬ 
gion  was  informed  that  he  would  find  a  “  trusty  force,” 
at  a  certain  place,  with  which  to  guard  them  through, 
and  received  the  following  order : 


13 


194 


v 


LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

4  Salt  Lake  City,  April  9 th,  1858. 

66  The  officer  in  command  of  escort  is  hereby  ordered 
to  see  that  every  man  is  well  prepared  with  ammunition 
and  have  it  ready  at  the  time  you  see  those  teamsters 
a  hundred  miles  from  the  settlements.  President 
Young  advises  that  they  should  be  all  killed  to  pre¬ 
vent  them  from  returning  to  Bridger  to  join  our  ene¬ 
mies.  Every  precaution  should  be  taken,  and  see  that 
not  one  escapes.  Secrecy  is  required. 

“  By  order  of  General  Daniel  H.  Wells. 

“  James  Ferguson, 

“  Assistant  Adjutant  General.” 

The  officer  refused  to  execute  the  order,  for  which 
his  life  was  threatened.  He  took  refuge  at  the  Federal 
camp  and  was  sent  out  of  the  Territory.  The  signa- 
ture  of  Ferguson  is  authenticated  by  two  Mormons, 
formerly  merchants  in  Salt  Lake  City.  Several  years 
after,  the  widow  of  Ferguson  called  upon  a  Federal 
Judge  who  had  the  writing  in  his  possession.  She 
stated  that  she  had  heard  the  rumor  that  there  was 
such  a  paper  and  desired  to  see  it. 

It  was  not  given  to  her  but  spread  upon  the  desk 
for  her  inspection.  She  read  it  through,  turned  deadly 
pale,  and  rushed  out  of  the  room  without  saying  a 
word.  Through  1858  and  ’59  various  difficulties  oc¬ 
curred;  Governor  Cumming  did  not  sustain  the  judi¬ 
ciary  in  their  efforts,  and  finally  an  order  was  received 
from  Washington  that  the  troops  were  not  to  be  used 
as  a  posse  to  aid  the  United  States  Marshal  in  making 
arrests.  This,  of  course,  completely  put  an  end  even 


/ 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


195 


to  tlie  attempt  to  administer  justice.  But  the  en¬ 
trance  of  the  army  had  done  good  in  a  variety  of  ways  ; 
stage  and  mail  lines  had  been  established ;  means  of 
intelligence  had  been  multiplied,  and  a  considerable 
Gentile  influence  established,  and  we  gladly  turn  away 
from  the  dark  period  of  crime  and  degradation,  and 
enter  upon  the  era  in  which  outside  influence  began  to 
produce  good  effects  even  in  Utah. 


196 


LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 


CHAPTER  VII. 

GENTILES  IN  UTAH. 

A  New  Element — Livingston  and  Kinkead — “  Jack-Mormonism  at  Wash¬ 
ington” — Judge  Drummond — M.  Jules  Remy — Gilbert  and  Sons — 
Heavy  Trade — Later  Gentile  Merchants — Walker  Brothers — Sales  at 
Camp  Floyd— “  Crushing  the  Mormons” — Ransohoff  &  Co. —Mormon 
Outrages  again — Murders  of  Brassfield  and  Dr.  Robinson— Whipping  of 
Weston  -Evidence  in  case  of  Robinson — Outrages  on  Lieut.  Brown  and 
Dr.  Williamson — Gentiles  Driven  from  the  Public  Land— Territorial 
Surveyor — Success  of  General  Connor’s  Administration — The  Govern¬ 
ment  Returns  to  the  Old  Policy — Murders  of  Potter  and  Wilson — Horri¬ 
ble  Death  of  “Negro  Tom” — The  Last  Witness  “put  out  of  the  Way  ” 
— “Danites”  again — Murder  each  Other — Death  of  Hatch  — Flight  of 
Hickman — Forty-three  Murders — Another  Change  of  Officials — Doty — 
Durkee— Shameful  Neglect  by  the  Government — Flight  of  the  Gentiles 
— Comparative  Quiet  Again — A  better  Day — The  Author  Arrives  in 
Utah. 

A  new  element  now  enters  into  Utah  affairs,  and  de¬ 
mands  attention.  There  had  previously  been  Gentiles 
resident  in  Salt  Lake,  but  before  1858,  they  seem 
to  have  created  no  special  interest.  The  history  of 
Gentile  merchants  from  the  earliest  times  to  the  present 
exhibits  a  singular  record  of  “  pluck  ”  and  enterprise, 
contending  against  the  ever-varying  complications  of 
political  and  religious  fanaticism.  The  first  Gentile 
merchants  to  make  a  permanent  establishment  in  Salt 
Lake,  were  Messrs.  Livingston  and  Kinkead,  who 
began  business  there  in  1850,  and  taking  the  tide 
of  Mormon  prosperity  at  its  height,  when  the  young 
colony  had  just  realized  on  the  California  trade,  their 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


197 


profits  were  immense.  At  the  date  they  reached  the 
city  there  were  no  Eastern  goods  in  the  Valley,  and 
the  first  day  their  store  was  open  they  took  in  $10, 
000  in  gold  !  Other  merchants  passed  through  doing 
some  trade,  but  none  had  done  so  well.  The  custom 
of  these  early  merchants  was  to  start  from  the  Missouri 
with  large  stocks,  which  they  opened  at  Salt  Lake, 
remaining  only  one  autumn  and  winter,  trading  for 
cattle,  grain  and  flour,  which  they  took  on  to  California 
the  next  season. 

From  1850  till  1862,  “jack-Mormonism”  ruled  at 
Washington  to  a  considerable  extent,  and  the  Gentiles 
of  Utah  had  but  little  help,  either  by  protection  or 
moral  influence,  from  Federal  appointees.  Judge  Kin¬ 
ney,  who  was  appointed  Chief  Justice  in  1854,  came 
that  year  to  the  valley  with  his  family  and  a  large 
stock  of  goods.  He  kept  a  hotel,  sold  goods,  speculated 
in  various  ways,  and  spared  no  pains  to  keep  on  good 
terms  with  his  Mormon  customers ;  afterwards  he 
joined  the  Mormons,  was  baptized  in  the  holy  Jordan 
— it  is  reported  that  he  paid  the  officiating  priest  $10 
to  have  the  job  done  in  the  night — and  represented  the 
Territory  one  term  in  Congress. 

For  a  short  time  he  was  the  colleague  of  J udge  Drum¬ 
mond,  the  Government  thus,  by  immorality  on  one  side 
and  “ jack-Mormonism”  on  the  other,  playing  into  the 
hands  of  the  Saints  most  effectually.  Kinney  had  a 
difficulty  with  Brigham  Young  early  in  1855,  as  re¬ 
ported  by  M.  Jules  Remy,  who  visited  Salt  Lake  that 
summer,  and  Brigham  declined  the  invitation  of  the 
Frenchman  to  dine  with  him  at  Kinney’s  hotel,  on  that 


198  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR.  THE  MYSTERIES 

account.  It  is  a  subject  of  curious  conjecture  what  sort 
of  an  impression  this  state  of  affairs  made  on  the  courtly 
Frenchman,  accustomed  to  see  the  representative  of  the 
supreme  power  treated  with  the  utmost  deference. 
Kinney  left  the  next  year,  retaining,  however,  the  office 
and  its  emoluments  till  1857,  and  in  1860  was  reap¬ 
pointed. 

The  entrance  of  Johnston’s  army,  with  the  government 
contracts  thereby  rendered  necessary,  and  the  more 
complete  establishment  of  the  Overland  Stages,  mark 
the  beginning  of  a  new  era  in  Gentile  history  ;  here  is 
a  point  of  departure,  so  to  speak,  between  the  old  and 
the  new,  separating  ancient  and  modern  history.  Nearly 
all  the  late  merchants  came  in  with  that  army,  or  fol¬ 
lowing  soon  after. 

During  the  interval  from  1853  to  1858,  the  Mormons 
had  fallen  behind,  and  great  destitutution  often  pre¬ 
vailed,  particularly  in  the  southern  settlements.  One 
year  the  crops  were  short  from  drouth,  and  another  they 
were  entirely  destroyed  by  grasshoppers;  during  two 
seasons  there  was  no  surplus  except  a  little  wheat  which 
could  only  be  sold  in  barter  for  fifty  cents  per  bushel; 
one  winter  thousands  of  the  people  subsisted  largely 
upon  sego  roots,  and  another,  of  unusual  severity,  a  third 
of  the  cattle  throughout  Utah  died  from  exposure.  In 
the  period  known  in  Mormon  chronicles  as  “  The  Re¬ 
formation,”  the  W ard  Teachers  visited  every  family  in 
their  jurisdiction,  and  made  a  thorough  examination  of 
their  flour  barrels  and  meat  chests,  taking  away  the 
surplus,  where  there  was  any,  to  divide  it  among  those 
who  had  none.  In  the  summer  of  1855,  M.  Jules  Remy, 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


199 


French  traveler  and  savan,  and  Mr.  A.  M.  Brenchley, 
his  English  companion  and  botanist,  journeyed  from 
Sacramento  to  Salt  Lake  City,  by  the  Central  Nevada 
route  and  south  of  the  lake,  and  spent  several  weeks 
studying  Mormon  institutions.  Their  publication,  a 
copy  of  which  may  be  found  in  the  State  Library  at 
Sacramento,  describes  a  condition  of  extreme  poverty  in 
Utah  ;  provisions  of  all  sorts  were  at  premium  prices, 
and  their  tour  of  two  months,  with  the  poorest  accom¬ 
modations,  cost  them  more  in  gold  than  a  first-class  tour 
of  Europe  would  have  done.  Wheat  and  a  few  other 
bare  necessaries  alone  were  tolerably  cheap.  The  season 
of  1856-57  might  be  justly  denominated  the  “  Winter 
of  Mormon  discontent.”  And  it  is  remarkable  that 
during  those  two  years  were  committed  most  of  those 
crimes  which  form  so  black  a  chapter  in  the  annals  of 
Utah. 

The  entrance  of  Johnston’s  army  proved  a  real  god¬ 
send  to  many,  and  being  followed  by  a  season  of 
unusual  fruitfulness,  the  Mormons  were  again  rendered 
prosperous.  The  firm  of  Gilbert  &  Sons  was  established 
in  Salt  Lake  City  about  that  time,  though  one  of  the 
firm  had  done  business  there  before.  This  firm  made 
large  profits  during  the  five  succeeding  years,  their 
sales  on  one  particular  day  amounting  to  $17,000  in 
gold.  Coin  was  the  only  currency,  all  large  payments 
being  made  in  the  Mormon  five-dollar  piece,  a  coin 
struck  by  the  Church,  which,  however,  contained  but 
$4.30  in  gold.  Another  prominent  firm  of  that  period 
was  Ransohoff  &  Co.,  long  the  leading  Jewish  firm, 
who  built  the  best  stone  store-house  in  the  city.  They 


200  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

had  extensive  dealings  with  Brigham  Young,  who  was 
for  a  while  on  the  best  of  terms  with  Gentile  merchants, 
and  when  Johnston’s  army  left  and  the  camp  property 
was  sold,  Brigham  borrowed  $30,000  of  Bansohoff  to 
invest  in  army  pork.  Following  the  entrance  of  the 
army  came  a  heavy  trade  with  Nevada,  and  not  long 
afterwards  considerable  with  Colorado;'  and  at  this 
period  was  the  rise  of  the  firm  of  Walker  Brothers, 
now  2xir  excellence ,  the  Gentile  merchant  princes  of 
Utah.  The  Walkers,  four  young  and  middle  aged 
gentlemen,  were  of  Mormon  parentage  and  reared 
among  the  Saints;  having,  by  great  industry  and 
enterprise,  secured  a  small  stock  in  trade  before  the 
entrance  of  the  army.  The  stores  at  Camp  Floyd  were 
sold  early  in  1861,  with  immense  profits  to  the  Saints; 
iron  which  had  retailed  at  a  dollar  per  pound,  became 
as  plentiful  as  in  the  East,  and  Brigham  Young, 
Walker  Brothers  and  other  firms  bought  immense 
quantities  of  pork  at  one  cent  per  pound,  which  they 
afterwards  retailed  at  sixty.  Thus  did  Buchanan 
“  crush  the  Mormons.”  The  Overland  Mail  service 
grew  into  greatness,  furnishing  another  source  of  profit, 
and  the  Gentile  merchants  shared  largely  in  the  gen¬ 
eral  prosperity.  During  1859  and  ’60,  though  there 
was  hostility  between  Camp  Floyd  and  the  Mormon 
hierarchy,  money  was  plenty;  sufficient  supplies  had 
been  forwarded  to  last  the  army  ten  years,  and  great 
quantities  of  leather,  gearing,  cavalry  equipments, 
clothing,  blankets  and  small  stores  were  sold  for  one 
tenth  their  value;  Brigham  was  on  the  best  of  terms 
with  the  Gentile  merchants;  gifts  and  donations  on 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


201 


both  sides  were  common ;  there  was  for  a  time  little  or 
no  social  distinction  between  Mormon  and  Gentile,  and 
an  era  of  general  good  feeling  prevailed. 

The  General  Government  soon  returned  to  the  old 
policy ,  and  with  the  return  of  Kinney,  Judges  Flenni- 
ken  and  Crosby  were  appointed  to  succeed  Sinclair  and 
Cradlebaugh,  removed.  In  1861  Governor  Cumming 
left  Utah,  and  was  succeeded  by  John  W.  Dawson,  of 
Indiana,  who  was  soon  entrapped  into  “  a  base  attempt 
on  the  virtue  of  a  Mormon  woman,”  and  in  consequence 
of  many  threats  precipitately  fled  the  Territory.  He 
was  waylaid,  however,  in  Weber  Canyon,  and  received 
a  terrible  beating,  which  he  richly  deserved  for  his 
cowardice,  and,  if  the  charge  above  be  true,  for  his 
detestably  bad  taste.  Notwithstanding  these  differ¬ 
ences  with  the  officials  the  Mormons  continued  on  good 
terms  with  the  merchants,  trade  was  free,  and  the 
people  rather  prosperous.  The  opening  of  the  war 
signaled  a  sudden  change ;  the  disloyalty  of  the  Mor¬ 
mons  was  only  equalled  by  the  disgust  of  the  Gentiles, 
and  the  whole  gist  of  Mormon  sermons  for  a  year  or 
two  might  have  been  compressed  into  that  aggravating 
after-prophecy,  66  Didn’t  we  tell  you  so  ?”  With  them 
it  was  only  the  realization  of  what  Joe  Smith  had 
prophesied  in  1832,  and  Sunday  after  Sunday  the 
Tabernacle  resounded  with  the  harangues  of  Brigham 
Young  and  Ileber  Kimball,  in  fiendish  exultation  over 
the  prospect  that  “  the  war  would  go  on  till  nearly  all 
the  men,  North  and  South,  would  be  killed,  the  rest 
would  become  servants  to  the  Saints,  the  women  of  the 
United  States  would  come  begging  for  the  Mormon 


202  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

elders  to  marry  them,  and  a  general  cry  would  go  up, 
‘  come  and  help  us  preserve  the  race  of  man  in  this 
land.’  ” 

Such  was  the  stuff  then  preached  by  men  who  are 
now  prating  loudly  of  their  loyalty.  It  was  hard  for 
an  American  to  listen  to  it  quietly,  and  but  little  else 
was  heard  in  Salt  Lake  for  the  first  two  years  of  the 
war.  Early  in  1862  Judges  Flenniken  and  Crosby  left 
Salt  Lake  City.  If  they  did  anything  while  there  to 
forward  the  cause  of  truth,  to  add  to  the  dignity  of  the 
Government,  to  increase  the  moral  force  of  the  Gentiles 
or  protect  the  victims  of  Brighamism,  it  appears  not  on 
the  record.  President  Lincoln  was  advised  by  tele¬ 
graph  of  their  departure,  and  on  the  3d  of  February, 
1862,  appointed  Thomas  J.  Drake,  of  Michigan,  and 
Chas.  Y.  Waite,  of  Illinois,  to  succeed  them.  On  the 
31st  of  March  following,  Stephen  S.  Harding,  an  “  origi¬ 
nal  abolitionist,”  of  southern  Indiana,  was  appointed 
Governor,  and  the  new  officials  reached  Salt  Lake  in 
July  of  the  same  year.  In  October  following  Colonel 
(now  General)  P.  Edward  Connor  arrived  with  fifteen 
hundred  men  and  established  Camp  Douglas.  This 
administration  may  well  be  styled  the  66  golden  age  ”  of 
Gentiles  in  Utah.  For  nearly  four  years  General  Con¬ 
nor  maintained  the  rights  of  American  citizens,  and 
protected  and  assisted  many  hundred  dissenting  Mor¬ 
mons  in  their  escape  from  Utah.  Their  prompt  action 
in  protecting  American  citizens  and  recusant  Mormons 
from  injury,  together  with  the  anti-polygamy  features 
of  Governor  Harding’s  first  message,  and  the  action  of 
the  Judges  in  asking  Congress  for  an  amendment  to 


CEREMONY  OF  CONFIRMATION, 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


203 


the  Organic  Act  of  the  Territory,  excited  the  Brigham- 
ites  to  great  anger  for  a  time ;  the  hostility  increased, 
and  when  an  unusually  large  number  of  miners  came 
to  winter  in  Salt  Lake,  Brigham  assumed  entire  control 
of  Mormon  trade  and  flour  was  put  up  at  once  from  $3 
to  $6  per  hundred  in  gold,  then  equal  to  twice  that 
!  amount  in  currency.  Great  was  the  indignation  at 
this  move,  but  the  miners  could  not  help  themselves  at 
that  season  and  submitted,  though  their  curses  were 
both  loud  and  deep.  The  opening  of  spring  relieved 
this  embargo,  and  the  Mormons  soon  discovered  that 
though  Camp  Douglas  was  something  of  an  eye-sore, 
yet  the  presence  of  two  regiments  added  materially  to 
I  their  trade.  The  triumph  of  the  Union  arms  through 
1864,  the  prompt  payment  of  claims  against  the  Gov¬ 
ernment,  and  the  appointment  of  rather  more  accept¬ 
able  officials,  convinced  the  Mormons  that  a  loyalty 
would  pay  ”  for  awhile,  and  another  era  of  free  trade 
and  tolerably  good  feeling  followed.  The  years  1864-65 
were  seasons  of  prosperity  to  the  Gentiles ;  Bansohoff 
&  Co.  cleared  large  sums  dealing  in  general  supplies, 
sand  Walker  Brothers,  who  had  meanwhile  apostatized 
from  Mormonism,  took  rank  as  millionaires. 

The  era  of  free  trade  and  good  feeling  was  short  and 
the  change  sudden.  In  1865  and  1866  all  the  California 
>  and  Nevada  volunteers  and  most  of  the  other  troops 
I  were  withdrawn,  and  the  hostility  of  the  Church  was 
manifested  with  tenfold  more  fierceness.  All  the  Gen- 
L  tiles,  who  had  pre-empted  land  west  of  the  city,  were 
f  whipped,  ducked  in  the  Jordan,  or  tarred  and  feathered, 
l  and  their  improvements  destroyed  •  many  were  threat- 

m  N 


204  1  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

ened  and  ordered  out  of  the  country;  Weston,  of  the 
Union  Vedette ,  was  seized  at  night,  taken  to  Temple 
Block  and  cruelly  beaten;  Brassfield  was  shot;  Dr. 
Bobinson  assassinated,  and  general  consternation  seized 
upon  the  Gentile  residents.  Some  of  these  events  de¬ 
mand  a  more  particular  account. 

Squire  Newton  Brassfield,  formerly  a  citizen  of  Cali¬ 
fornia,  and  more  lately  of  Nevada,  while  sojourning 
temporarily  in  Salt  Lake  City,  formed  the  acquaintance 
of  a  woman  who  had  been  the  polygamous  wife  of  a 
Mormon,  named  Hill,  but  had  left  *him,  repudiated  this 
so-called  marriage  and  claimed  that  she  was  entitled 
at  common  law  to  the  possession  of  her  children  by  this 
Hill,  as  the  offspring  of  an  illegal  marriage,  or  rather 
of  no  marriage  at  all.  She  and  Brassfield  were  married 
in  legal  form  by  the  U.  S.  Judge,  II.  P.  McCurdy,  on 
the  28th  of  March,  1866  ;  a  writ  of  habeas  corpus 
was  issued  from  the  United  States  Court  for  the  pos¬ 
session  of  her  children,  and  the  trial  set  for  the  night 
of  April  the  3d,  but  adjourned  till  the  6th.  Meanwhile 
Brassfield  had  taken  a  trunk  containing  her  clothing 
from  her  former  residence,  and  was  arrested  by  the 
Mormon  authorities  on  a  charge  of  grand  larceny ! 
The  ground  assumed  for  this  action  was  that  the  cloth¬ 
ing  taken  was  the  property  of  her  husband.  It  was  also 
charged  that  he  had  resisted  the  officer  attempting  to 
make  the  arrest — an  offence  universally  considered 
worthy  of  death  by  the  Mormons.  In  this  case  also  an 
appeal  was  had  to  the  United  States  Court.  On  the 
evening  of  April  6th,  about  8  o’clock,  while  Brassfield 
was  passing  along  Second  South  street,  in  the  custody 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


205 


of/or  in  company  with  United  States  Marshal,  J.  K. 
Hosmer,  he  was  shot  in  the  hack  by  a  concealed  assassin; 
as  near  as  could  he  determined,  from  an  alley  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  street.  The  assassin  escaped,  and 
no  especial  effort  was  made  to  arrest  him.  The  Gen¬ 
tiles  offered  a  reward  of  $4,500  for  his  apprehension ; 
the  Mormon  press  and  speakers  were  either  non-com¬ 
mittal  on  the  subject,  or  mildly  sustained  the  assassin, 
and  dared  the  Gentiles  to  publish  their  names  to  the 
offered  reward.  The  possession  of  her  two  children 
was  afterwards  confirmed  to  Mrs.  Brassfield  by  the 
United  States  Court,  and  she  left  the  Territory  with 
them.  The  following  telegram  was  at  once  forwarded 
to  General  Connor,  still  in  command  of  the  district,  but 
temporarily  absent  in  New  York: 

Great  Salt  Lake  City,  April  8,  1866. 

Brigadier- General  P.  E.  Connor.  Metropolitan  Hotel , 
New  York : — I  married  S.  N.  Brassfield  to  a  Mormon 
woman,  on  the  28th  ultimo.  Brassfield  was  assassinated 
on  the  night  of  the  6th  instant.  I  have  been  denounced 
and  threatened  publicly.  Government  officials  here  have 
i  telegraphed  to  the  Secretary  of  War  to  retain  troops 
here  until  others  are  sent  to  relieve  them.  Call  on 
Secretary  of  War,  learn  his  conclusions  and  answer; 
1  feel  unsafe  in  person  and  property  without  protection. 

H.  P.  McCurdy, 

Associate  Justice  Supreme  Court ,  U  T. 

A  similar  dispatch  was  forwarded  by  Colonel  C.  A. 
Potter,  who  was  ordered  to  retain  troops  until  the 
regulars  arrived. 


206  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES  • 

Dr.  Robinson  was  assassinated  on  the  night  of  the 
2 2d  of  October.  The  following  biography  is  taken 
from  the  Union  Vedette  of  October  25th,  1866. 

“  The  late  Dr.  J.  K.  Rohinson,  whose  assassination 
last  Monday  has  sent  a  thrill  of  horror  to  the  heart  of 
every  law  abiding  citizens  of  this  Territory,  was  a 
native  of  Calais,  Maine,  and  was  in  his  thirty-first 
year.  He  came  to  Utah  from  California  in  the  spring 
of  1864,  as  an  Assistant  Surgeon  of  the  United  States 
volunteers,  and  reporting  to  General  Connor,  was  sent 
to  Camp  Connor  at  Soda  Springs,  Idaho ;  but  during 
the  following  winter  was  ordered  to  Salt  Lake,  and 
took  charge  of  the  hospital  at  Camp  Douglas,  and  re¬ 
mained  on  duty  there  and  in  this  city  until  last  winter, 
when  he  was  mustered  out  of  the  service,  leaving  a 
record  in  the  army  which  stands  without  a  blemish. 
After  leaving  the  service  of  his  country,  Dr.  Robinson 
settled  down  in  this  city  and  engaged  in  the  practice 
of  his  profession,  in  which  he  had  taken  the  lead 
among  the  practicing  physicians  of  Salt  Lake,  and  has 
occupied  an  equally  prominent  position  in  the  advance¬ 
ment  of  all  religious  and  educational  schemes  of  the 
city.  He  was  one  of  the  most  intimate  friends  and 
the  room-mate  of  the  Rev.  Norman  McLeod,  and  co¬ 
operated  with  him  in  all  his  measures  for  the  advance¬ 
ment  of  the  social  condition  of  the  people  of  Utah. 
In  this  capacity  he  had,  up  to  the  time  of  his  death, 
filled  with  great  credit  the  position  of  superintendent 
in  the  Gentile  Sunday  School.  On  the  afternoon  of 
Mr.  McLeod’s  departure  for  'the  East,  in  March  last, 
he  united  Dr.  Robinson  in  the  bonds  of  matrimony 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


207 


with  Miss  Nellie  Kay,  the  accomplished  daughter  of 
the  late  Dr.  Kay.  No  citizen  of  Salt  Lake  stood 
higher,  morally  or  socially,  than  Dr.  Robinson ;  we 
have  never  heard  of  his  having  a  personal  enemy,  or 
that  he  ever  infringed  upon  the  legal  or  moral  rights 
of  any  man  living,  and  the  only  conceivable  cause  for 
his  assassination  is  the  fact  that  he  saw  lit  to  contest 
the  title  of  a  piece  of  land  with  the  city  in  the  Supreme 
Court.  No  other  cause  can  be  assigned,  for  had  the 
object  of  the  assassins  been  plunder,  they  could  have 
obtained  it,  as  the  Doctor  had  upon  his  person  a  large 
sum  of  money  and  a  valuable  gold  watch,  which  had 
been  untouched  when  the  body  was  found.” 

In  common  with  many  others,  Dr.  Robinson  had  held 
that  the  Territorial  Legislature  had  no  right  to  make 
grants  of  public  land,  and  the  city  no  right  to  pre-empt. 
He,  accordingly,  filed  a  claim  upon  the  land  surrounding 
the  Warm  Springs  near  the  city,  and  erected  some  im¬ 
provements  which  were  torn  down  at  mid-day  by  an 
armed  force  of  police.  He  appealed  his  case  to  the  U. 
S.  Court,  bringing  an  action  of  ejectment;  in  the  course 
of  the  trial,  his  counsel  raised  the  question  that  the 
city,  because  of  the  non-performance  of  certain  acts, 
had  no  legal  existence ;  which  was  argued  before  Chief 
Justice  Titus,  and  by  him  decided  in  favor  of  the  city. 
Dr.  Robinson  then  gave  notice  of  his  intention  to  appeal. 
On  the  11th  of  October,  a  bowling  alley  belonging  to 
the  Doctor  was  destroyed  by  a  party  of  some  twenty 
men  with  blackened  faces.  For  this  a  number  of  per¬ 
sons  were  arrested,  Chief  of  Police  Burt  and  two  sub¬ 
ordinates  identified  and  bound  over  by  the  Chief  Jus- 


20S 


LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 


tice.  Soon  after,  Dr.  Robinson  called  on  Mayor  Wells, 
in  regard  to  the  matter,  was  denied  any  answer  and  or¬ 
dered  to  leave  the  house.  This  affair  was  thus  chron¬ 
icled  the  next  morning  by  the  Telegraph ,  then  edited  by 
the  late  renegade  Mormon,  T.  B.  H.  Stenhouse : 


“  As  Well  Trained — The  admiration  for  Zebra,  Na¬ 
poleon  and  Leopard,  on  Friday  night,  was  snuffed  out 
by  the  greater  admiration  for  Dr.  Ball-alley  as  he  cleared 
from  the  Mayor’s  house  yesterday  afternoon.  His  honor 
had  only  to  open  the  door,  direct  his  finger  and  the  man 
of  pills  and  bluster  vamosed  with  a  grace  that  fairly 
eclipsed  little  Leopard  under  the  admirable  direction  of 
Bartholomew.” 


For  several  Sundays  Brigham  and  other  leaders  had 
preached  the  most  inflammatory  harangues  in  the 
Tabernacle,  advising  the  people  “  if  any  man  attempted 
to  pre-empt  their  land  to  ‘  send  him  to  hell  across 
lots  ’  ”  and  the  like.  In  more  than  one  instance  assas¬ 
sination  was  openly  counseled  and  threatened,  and  the 
people  were  ripe  for  any  desperate  outrage.  The 
second  night  after  the  above  publication,  between  the 
hours  of  eleven  and  twelve,  a  man  called  at  the  house 
of  Dr.  Robinson,  stated  that  “  his  brother,  John  Jones, 
had  had  his  leg  broken  and  required  the  Doctor’s  assis¬ 
tance  the  Doctor  started  with  the  man,  they  were 
joined  by  others,  and  a  few  steps  away,  at  the  corner 
of  Main  and  Third  South  Street,  he  was  struck  two 
blows  on  the  head,  and  immediately  shot  through  the 
brain.  One  witness  saw  one  of  the  assassins  running 
down  the  street  westward ;  two  others  saw  three  of 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


209 


them  running  eastward,  and  three  were  seen  running 
southward,  making  seven  persons  engaged  in  the  mur¬ 
der .  On  the  investigation  Mayor  Wells  swore  that  he 
was  not  informed  of  the  murder  “  till  ten  o’clock  the 
day  after;”  the  policemen  swore  there  were  but  eight 
of  them  on  duty  that  night,  of  whom  three  were  at  the 
circus  and  “  all  the  rest  at  the  City  Hall the  Mor¬ 
mons  examined  swore  there  had  been  no  threats  made, 
and  Stenhouse  and  one  or  two  others  refused  to  answer 
most  of  the  questions  asked.  The  investigation  utterly 
failed  to  show  that  Dr.  Robinson  had  a  personal  enemy 
in  the  world  and  showed  that  he  had  had  difficulty 
with  none  but  the  city  authorities.  Evidence  subse¬ 
quently  developed  has  fixed  the  guilt  of  this  murder 
unmistakably  upon  the  Mormon  authorities. 

The  case  of  those  Gentiles  who  were  driven  from 
the  public  land  presents  a  flagrant  violation  of  law. 
The  Legislature  of  Utah  has  passed  an  Act  appointing 
a  Territorial  Surveyor ;  under  its  provisions  any  man. 
can  get  the  Surveyor  to  run  a  line  around  a  piece  of 
the  public  land,  then  stick  up  stakes  at  the  four  cor¬ 
ners  and  he  has  a  claim  upon  the  land.  It  has  been 
the  custom  to  pay  no  regard  whatever  to  the  National 
laws  in  regard  to  the  public  land.  But  should  a 
Gentile  attempt  under  these  laws  to  take  up  a  piece  of 
land  thus  surveyed,  he  would  be  driven  off.  A  number 
|  of  the  discharged  volunteers,  among  them  a  Surgeon 
Williamson  and  Lieutenant  Brown,  entered  upon  some 
unoccupied  land  west  of  the  Jordan,  without  a  sign  of 
an  improvement  upon  it.  While  erecting  their  cabins 
some  Mormons  came  out  and  claimed  the  land.  They 


210  LIFE  IN  UTAH ;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

informed  the  Mormons  that  they  did  not  wish  to  intrude 
on  any  other  man’s  land,  and  if  the  latter  would  show 
they  had  taken  up  this  land  or  made  any  improvements 
upon  it,  they  would  leave  it.  To  this  reasonable  re¬ 
quest  no  reply  was  made,  but  that  night  some  twenty 
men  with  blackened  faces  came  to  their  shanties  and 
captured  both  Brown  and  Williamson.  They  rolled 
them  both  up  in  an  old  tent  and  carried  them  towards 
the  Jordan.  Lieutenant  Brown,  a  cool  and  brave  man, 
simply  said :  “  Well,  gentlemen,  all  I  have  to  say  is,  if 
you  intend  to  take  my  life,  kill  me  like  a  man,  and  don’t 
drown  me  like  a  dog.”  Upon  this  one  of  the  crowd 
stepped  up  and  remarked :  “  You  shan’t  put  that  man 
in  there.  I  know  his  voice ;  it’s  Lieutenant  Brown,  and 
once  when  he  commanded  the  provost  guard  I  had 
trouble  with  the  soldiers,  and  he  took  my  part  and  got 
me  off.  I  didn’t  know  this  was  the  man  till  he  spoke.” 

After  consultation  the  mob  tore  down  their  shanties 
and  released  the  men  on  their  promise  to  leave  the 
country.  The  other  settlers  were  ducked  in  the  Jor¬ 
dan,  and  one  of  them  shot  through  the  leg  while  swim¬ 
ming  the  river. 

The  administration  of  General  Connor  had  been 
almost  a  perfect  success,  and  the  American  name  was 
then  respected  and  Gentile  safety  secured  in  the  most 
remote  valleys  of  Utah  ;  outside  influences  of  all  kinds 
had  rapidly  augmented,  and  a  flourishing  Gentile 
church,  school  and  paper  had  been  established.  But 
Brigham  and  his  tools  had  never  ceased  to  work  and 
intrigue  at  Washington  for  a  change,  and  Johnson’s 
administration  proved  disastrous  to  Utah.  In  a  few 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


211 


months  after  General  Connor  was  removed  and  the 
troops  withdrawn,  there  were  three  atrocious  murders 
and  numerous  outrages  upon  Gentiles. 

Soon  after,  three  apostates  named  Potter,  Wilson  and 
Walker,  were  arrested  at  Coalville  in  Weber  Valley,  on 
a  trumped  up  charge  of  stealing  a  cow.  This  Potter  was 
a  brother  of  those  murdered  at  Springville  in  1857, 
and  had  been  pursued  with  unrelenting  hatred.  Several 
times  he  had  been  arrested  on  various  charges  and  as 
often  acquitted.  His  death  was  now  determined  upon, 
and  one  “  Art  ”  Hinckley,  a  “  Danite  ”  and  Salt  Lake 
policeman  was  sent  for.  Evidence  afterwards  obtained, 
shows  that  he  was  accompanied  by  another  policeman, 
and  joined  by  parties  at  different  points  on  his  way. 
They  proceeded  to  the  school-house  where  the  three  men 
were  confined,  and  took  them  out.  Walker  suspecting 
foul  play,  saw  two.  of  his  guards  level  their  guns  at 
him,  when  he  dodged  down  and  the  shots  only  slightly 
wounded  him  in  the  neck.  At  the  same  instant  the 
contents  of  a  heavily  loaded  shot-gun  were  fired  into 
Potter’s  body.  Walker  being  an  agile  man  escaped  by 
jumping  a  near  fence,  receiving  another  slight  wound 
in  so  doing,  and  made  his  way  through  canons  and 
ravines  to  Camp  Douglas.  Wilson  also  ran  a  little 
wa}’,  but  was  shot  dead.  On  the  evidence  of  Walker  the 
assassins  were  arrested,  but  by  the  connivance  of  Mor¬ 
mon  officers  escaped  from  the  Territorial  Marshal,  who 
had  them  in  charge.  The  Mormon  papers  labored  to 
explain  the  affair,  stating  that  the  prisoners  were  shot 
in  attempting  to  escape  from  custody;  but  it  is  the 
testimony  of  all  who  saw  the  corpse  of  Potter,  that  the 


212  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

gun  must  have  been  almost  touching  his  body  when 
fired,  and  that  his  throat  was  cut  after  death.  This 
was  no  doubt  in  fulfilment  of  the  penalty  in  the  En¬ 
dowment  oath.  Walker  remained  about  Camp  Doug¬ 
las  for  some  time,  then  suddenly  disappeared,  and  has 
since  never  been  heard  of.  Shortly  after,  a  colored  man 
generally  known  as  “  Negro  Tom,”  who  had  been 
brought  to  the  Territory  by  the  Mormons  as  a  slave, 
and  lived  many  years  in  the  family  of  Brigham  Young 
and  other  dignitaries,  called  upon  some  Federal  officials 
and  stated  that  he  could  give  important  evidence  in 
regard  to  some  of  these  murders.  A  few  days  after,  his 
body  was  found  upon  the  “  bench  ”  two  miles  east  of 
the  city,  horribly  mangled,  his  throat  cut  from  ear  to 
ear,  and  on  his  breast  a  large  placard  marked : 

“Let  White  Women  Alone.” 

In  all  such  cases  of  assassination  the  Mormons  can 
command  abundant  evidence  that  the  victim  has  “  in¬ 
sulted  a  Mormon  woman.”  Thus  the  last  witness  of 
these  crimes  was  removed,  and  the  proof  put  beyond 
the  reach  of  earthly  courts. 

In  the  long  list  of  murders  and  outrages,  I  have  thus 
far  particularly  noted  only  those  upon  Gentiles,  or  in 
which  Gentiles  were  specially  interested.  But  it  must 
be  said  of  the  Mormons,  that  they  have  always  treated 
their  own  people  worse  than  outsiders ;  and  while  they 
only  molested  those  Gentiles  who  were  particularly  ob¬ 
noxious,  or  had  property  to  reward  their  assassins,  they 
have  visited  apostates  and  dissenters  with  extreme 
vengeance.  It  were  a  wearisome  and  disgusting  task 
to  recount  all  the  memoirs  of  those  who  fled  or  attempted 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


213 


to  flee  from  the  Territory,  and  the  bloody  fate  which 
has  overtaken  many,  even  of  the  tools  of  the  Church, 
when  suspected.  One  incident,  however,  is  so  notorious 
in  the  early  annals  of  Utah,  that,  as  an  instance  of  the 
course  often  pursued,  it  deserves  to  be  noted.  Chief 
among  the  cut-throats  of  the  earlier  period,  were  three 
who  merit  an  immortality  of  infamy,  viz. :  “  Port  ” 
Rockwell,  “  Ephe  ”  Hanks,  and  “  Bill  ”  Hickman. 
Closely  associated  with  the  last  for  many  years  was  one 
“  Ike  ”  Hatch ;  but  at  length  he  grew  wear^  of  his  mode 
of  life,  and,  confiding  in  Hickman,  announced  his  inten¬ 
tion  to  escape  from  the  Territory.  Soon  after  Hickman 
and  Hatch  started  from  Salt  Lake  City  on  horseback 
for  Provo.  While  crossing  a  small  stream  on  the  road, 
lined  with  a  thick  growth  of  willows,  Hatch,  who  was 
in  advance,  was  shot  from  behind,  and  fell  from  his 
horse.  Hickman  at  once  galloped  back  to  the  city  and 
reported  that  they  had  been  attacked  by  Indians,  and 
Hatch  killed.  The  latter,  however,  had  strength  to 
climb  upon  his  horse  and  reach  the  city  before  he  died, 
and  informed  his  father  that  he  had  been  shot  by  Hick¬ 
man.  The  latter  had  the  hardihood  to  attend  the 
funeral  of  Hatch,  and  actually  assisted  in  shoveling  the 
dirt  into  the  grave.  While  in  this  work,  the  father  of 
Hatch,  overcome  by  sudden  anger,  aimed  a  blow  at  the 
murderer  with  a  spade,  which  would  certainly  have 
ended  his  career  had  not  the  blow  been  warded  off  by  a 
friend  of  Hickman,  who  was  on  the  watch.  This 
murder,  as  well  as  several  others  by  Hickman,  is  not 
even  questioned  among  the  Mormons  ;  and  yet  this  man 
was  for  years  on  friendly  and  even  intimate  terms  with 


214  LIFE  IN  UTAH  ;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

Brigham  Young !  Hickman  also  fell  under  suspicion 
soon  after  the  “  Morrisite  war,”  of  which  an  account 
will  hereafter  be  given,  and  fled  to  Nevada.  While 
there,  he  was  taken  violently  ill,  and  sent  for  a 
“  Josephite  ”  Mormon  preacher  to  administer  absolution. 
It  is  reported  that  he  then  confessed  participation  in  no 
less  than  forty-three  deliberate  murders  !  He  recovered, 
and  is  still  seen  occasionally  in  Utah. 

The  vigilant  administration  of  General  Connor,  and 
the  firm  position  assumed  by  the  Governor  did  not  meet 
the  approval  of  the  authorities  at  Washington.  In 
1863  Harding  was  removed  and  appointed  Chief  Justice 
of  Colorado,  being  succeeded  as  Governor  by  Hon. 
James  Duane  Doty,  who  had  for  some  time  been  Indian 
Superintendent  for  Utah.  About  the  same  time  Judge 
Kinney  went  to  represent  the  Territory  in  Congress 
and  was  succeeded  as  Chief  Justice  by  Hon.  John  Titus, 
of  Philadelphia.  He  was  an  able  and  impartial  Judge  ; 
but  seemed  too  often  bound  by  precedents,  and  unwill¬ 
ing  to  disturb  the  order  of  administration  which  had 
existed  from  the  first  in  the  Territorial  Courts,  even 
when  it  was  clearly  proved  to  be  contrary  to  a  just 
rendering  of  the  Organic  Act.  Dr.  Frank  Fuller,  who 
had  been  Secretary  of  the  Territory,  from  ’61  to  ’63, 
was  succeeded  in  the  autumn  of  the  latter  year  by  Mr. 
Amos  Peed.  Judge  Waite,  after  several  ineffectual  at¬ 
tempts  to  administer  the  la,w,  resigned  in  disgust  in 
1864,  and  was  succeeded  by  Judge  McCurdy,  who  gave 
place  in  1867  for  a  Mormon  lawyer ,  named  Hoge,  ap¬ 
pointed  by  President  Johnson.  Governor  Doty  filled 
the  office  with  all  the  dignity  and  efficiency  possible  to 


ANI)  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


215 


a  man  in  such  circumstances,  almost  without  command 
and  entirely  without  the  moral  support  of  the  Govern¬ 
ment.  He  died  in  1865  and  was  succeeded  by  Hon. 
Charles  Durkee,  also  of  Wisconsin,  who  retained  the 
office  till  late  in  1869,  and  a  few  wmeks  after  his  re¬ 
moval  died  at  Omaha,  Nebraska.  He  was  quite  old, 
very  feeble,  without  the  power  or  energy  to  command, 
and  was  expressly  instructed  from  Washington  to  pur¬ 
sue  a  conciliatory  policy  5  as  he  once  informed  the 
writer,  he  “  was  sent  out  to  do  nothing,”  and  it  need 
only  be  added  that  he  succeeded  admirably  in  doing  it. 

The  Secretary,  Reed,  was  succeeded  in  the  autumn 
of  1866  by  Edward  P.  Higgins,  of  Michigan,  who  filled 
that  office  with  marked  ability  till  the  spring  of  1869. 
The  first  half  of  that  year  he  acted  as  Governor,  in  the 
absence  of  Durkee,  and  won  golden  opinions  for  the 
able  manner  in  which  he  performed  the  duties  of  that 
office.  His  message  to  the  Territorial  Legislature  is 
noted  as  among  the  most  able  ever  presented  in  Utah. 

Soon  after  being  relieved  of  his  command,  General 
Connor  took  up  his  residence  in  Stockton,  Rush  Valley, 
forty  miles  west  of  the  city,  where  he  has  since  been 
extensively  engaged  in  mining. 

A  general  stampede  of  Gentiles  from  Utah  seemed 
likely  to  follow  the  withdrawal  of  all  protection  by  the 
Government;  and  soon  after  Robinson’s  death,  the 
Gentile  merchants,  with  two  or  three  exceptions,  joined 
in  a  written  proposal  to  Brigham,  that  they  would  all 
leave  the  Territory,  if  he  or  the  Church  would  pay  a 
nominal  price  for  their  property.  To  this  Brigham 
complacently  made  reply  that  he  “  had  not  asked  them 


216  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

to  come,  and  did  not  ask  them  to  go ;  they  could  stay 
as  long  as  they  pleased.”  This  excitement  subsided 
like  the  rest,  and  a  whole  year  passed  away  without 
any  serious  outrages,  or  unusual  threats.  The  influ¬ 
ence  of  the  approaching  railroad  began  to  be  felt, 
resulting  in  another  era  of  good  feeling. 

The  amount  of  travel  increased,  and  with  it  the 
amount  of  money;  trade  was  free,  with  no  distinction 
between  Mormon  and  Gentiles ;  contracts  on  the  rail¬ 
road  were  taken  by  both,  and  little  distinction  made 
in  giving  employment,  and  in  July,  1868,  at  a  great 
railroad  meeting,  Mormon,  Jew  and  Christian  frater¬ 
nized  in  the  Tabernacle,  and  seemed  to  feel  they  had  a 
common  interest  in  the  country’s  prosperity. 

And  thus  stood  affairs  in  the  early  autumn  of  1868, 
when  the  author  first  entered  the  Territory. 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


217 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

FIRST  VIEWS  IN  UTAH. 

The  real  “American  Desert” — No  Myth — Bitter  Creek — Green  River- 
Lone  Rock — Plains  of  Bridger — Quaking  Asp  Ridge — Bear  River— A 
Mormon  Autobiography — “  Pulling  hair” — “Aristocracy”  on  the  Plains 
-“Mule-skinners”  and  “  Bulhvhackers  ” — The  “  Bull  whackers  Epic” 
— Cache  Cave — Echo  Canon — Mormon  “fortifications” — Braggadocio — 
Storm  in  Weber  Canon — Up  the  Weber — Parley’s  Park — A  Wife-steal¬ 
ing  Apostle — Down  the  Canon — Majestic  Scenery — First  view  of  the 
valley — The  “  City  of  the  Saints.” 

On  the  morning  of  August  28th,  1868,  from  the 
heights  east  of  Green  River,  then  the  eastern  boundary 
of  the  Territory,  I  took  my  first  view  of  Utah.  I  had 
not  reached,  as  I  did  not  leave  it,  without  tribulation. 
In  company  with  a  Mormon  “ outfit”  of  sixteen  men, 
ten  wagons,  and  sixty  mules,  I  had  made  the  weari¬ 
some  journey  from  North  Platte  across  three  hundred 
miles  of  the  American  Desert  at  the  dryest  season  of 
the  year.  The  point  of  our  departure  from  the  rail¬ 
road  was  too  far  south  for  us  to  reach  the  much  sought 
Sweetwater  route,  and,  after  leaving  Bridger’s  Pass,  we 
struck  directly  for  the  head  of  Bitter  Creek,  down 
which  we  travelled  for  three  days,  days  fixed  in 
memory,  but  not  dear. 

A  region  of  sand  and  alkali,  where  the  white  dust 
lay  six  inches  deep  in  the  road,  and  the  whole  surface 
of  the  valley  looked  like  a  mixture  of  dried  soap  and 
soda,  this  part  of  the  American  Desert  is  certainly  no 


218  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

myth.  On  the  26th  of  August  we  left  that  stream  at 
Point  of  Rocks,  and  traveled  northward  towards  the 
upper  crossing  of  Green  River.  Thirty  miles  on  our 
former  course  would  have  brought  us  to  the  confluence 
of  Bitter  Creek  and  Green  River,  but  it  was  impossible 
to  travel  longer  on  the  former  stream,  the  water  of 
which  resembles  weak  soapsuds,  and  has  the  effect 
upon  the  system  of  a  mild  infusion  of  aloes.  The  road, 
always  bad  at  that  season,  was  rendered  much  worse 
by  the  graders  everywhere  present,  and  at  work  upon 
the  line  of  the  railroad.  The  teamsters  we  met, 
whether  Saxon,  Mexican,  or  Negro,  all  looked  of  one 
color,  a  moving  “pillar  of  cloud,”  and,  as  they  shook 
the  dust  from  their  ears,  seemed  living  examples  of  the 
judgment,  “  Dust  thou  art,”  etc. 

Special  notice  is  due  the  “  Twenty-mile  Desert,” 
where  for  ten  hours  the  train  struggled  wearily  through 
a  loose  bed  of  sand  and  soda,  enveloped  by  a  blinding 
white  cloud  through  which  the  driver  could  not  see  his 
lead  mules,  and  naught  was  heard  but  the  cracking  of 
whips,  the  yells  and  curses  of  the  teamsters  and  the 
“cry”  of  the  wheels  in  the  soda,  as  they  seemed  to  be 
groaning  out  the  unspeakable  woes  of  the  dumb  animals. 
During  this  experience  we  often  turned  our  eyes  long¬ 
ingly  toward  the  mountain  ranges  which  lay  so  cool 
and  invitingly  before  us.  But  a  change  came  over  the 
spirit  of  our  dream,  when  by  our  new  route  we  had 
reached  that  elevated  region. 

On  the  mornings  of  the  27th  and  28th,  we  found  ice 
a  quarter  of  an  inch  thick  on  the  water  in  our  buckets, 
and  the  winds  were  so  cold  and  piercing,  that  a  heavy 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


219 


coat  and  two  woollen  wrappers  seemed  inadequate  pro¬ 
tection.  Our  route  was  in  an  irregular  semi-circle, 
north,  northwest  and  west ;  passing  Lone  Rock,  a  vast 
block  of  white  and  yellow  stone,  standing  in  the  centre 
of  a  high,  level  plain,  as  if  thrown  by  some  convulsion 
of  nature  from  a  flat  summit  two  miles  distant.  As  we 
approached  it  up  the  valley  from  the  east,  at  some  miles 
distance,  it  bears  an  exact  resemblance  to  a  large  steam¬ 
boat  coming  on  under  full  head  of  steam ;  seen  from 
the  side,  it  resembles  a  vast  Gothic  cathedral,  with 
spires  at  the  four  corners,  and  numerous  turrets,  doors 
and  windows,  while  the  mind  imagines  the  interior, 
with  its  ringing  halls  and  resounding  corridors.  De¬ 
scending  to  the  valley  by  a  dangerous  “  dugway,”  we 
forded  Green  River,  a  clear,  pure  stream,  here  fifty 
yards  wide  and  three  feet  deep,  cold  as  ice-water,  flow¬ 
ing  rapidly  southward  to  its  j  unction  with  Grand  River, 
where  both  form  the  Great  Colorado. 

From  Green  River,  another  day’s  travel,  nearly  all 
the  way  up  hill,  brought  us  upon  another  cold  ridge, 
where  the  water  froze  again.  The  next  day  was  Sun¬ 
day,  but  there  is  no  Sabbath  on  the  plains  unless  a  man 
dies,  a  mule  gets  sick,  or  unusually  good  grass  and  water 
invite  to  a  day  of  rest,  in  which  case,  Sunday  comes 
any  day  of  the  week.  So  we  thawed  the  ice  out  of  our 
pots  and  buckets,  took  a  little  hot  coffee,  u  damper  ”  and 
pork,  limbered  up  our  joints  and  traveled  on,  this  day 
crossing  Ross’  Fork. 

Something  in  the  air  of  these  plains  seems  to  furnish 
an  exemption  from  the  usual  penalties  of  cold  and  ex¬ 
posure.  I  have  often  waded  deep  creeks  or  risen  in  the 


220  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

morning  wet  and  cold,  but  never  experienced  any  ill 
effects  from  it.  The  pure  air  of  the  region  proves  a 
perfect  immunity  against  its  exposures  and  hardships. 
From  Ross’  Fork  we  passed  on  to  the  high  plains  of 
Bridger,  7000  feet  above  sea  level  and  cold  and  barren 
in  proportion.  Here  Johnston’s  army  passed  the  winter 
of  1857-8,  after  they  had  lost  their  cattle  and  supplies 
in  Echo  Canon,  and  here  Colonel  Kane,  a  self-consti¬ 
tuted  embassador  from  the  Mormons,  found  “  the  three 
heads  of  departments,”  Governor  Cumming,  Colonel 
Johnston  and  Judge  Eckles,  when  he  sought  the  army 
on  his  mission  of  peace.  For  the  last  three  days  we 
have  traveled  in  sight  of  the  Uintah  Range ;  far  to  the 
south  of  us  its  snowy  peaks  glistened  in  the  morning 
sun-light  with  a  cloud  like  silvery  whiteness,  while 
lower  down  the  dark  blue-green  marked  the  timber 
line,  which  lower  still  faded  to  a  dull  gray,  all  pre¬ 
senting  as  the  day  advanced  a  varying  panorama  of 
light  and  shade,  showing  in  the  distance  like  the 
shadowy  picture  scenes  of  fairy  land. 

Our  last  cold  night,  August  31st,  we  spent  on  Quak¬ 
ing  Asp  Ridge  where  Boreas  sent  down  a  bitter  blast, 
determined  to  punish  us  for  intrusion  into  his  high 
domains.  With  a  double  thickness  of  gunny-bags  be¬ 
low  our  blankets  and  wagon-cover  above  we  slept 
soundly  and  warmly,  and  while  the  wind  whistled 
over  my  head  I  dreamed  of  the  sunny  valley  of  the 
Ohio,  its  corn  ripening  in  the  warm  August  night 
while  the  yellow-brown  blades  rustle  in  the  soft  breeze 
and  sigh  a  lament  for  the  departing  summer. 

From  this  summit  we  traveled  all  day,  constantly 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


221 


descending  along  a  narrow  “  dugway,”  between  ridges 
lined  with  quaking  asp,  or  through  narrow  canons 
where  over-hanging  rocks  nearly  shut  out  the  sun¬ 
light,  emerging  finally  into  a  beautiful  valley  with  a 
genial  climate  and  luxuriant  grass. 

The  next  day  we  crossed  Bear  River,  finding  a  rich 
valley  with  some  fine  farms.  All  this  valley  appears 
capable  of  cultivation,  while  the  lower  hills  and  slopes 
abound  in  fine  pasturage,  and  the  region  is  evidently  able 
to  sustain  a  considerable  population.  From  Bear  River 
we  moved  on  to  Yellow  Creek  where  we  camped  one 
night,  the  next  day  reaching  Cache  Cave  at  the  head 
of  Echo  Canon  where  we  made  a  mid-day  camp  of  four 
hours.  Cache  Cave  is  simply  a  hole  in  the  rock,  some 
fifty  feet  up  the  hillside  and  running  back  forty  feet 
into  the  cliff,  the  inside  covered  with  names  cut, 
scratched  and  painted.  Here  we  found  the  grass  and 
water  fine  but  no  wood,  not  even  the  sage  brush  which 
had  thus  far  served  our  needs  ;  so  we  took  to  the  plains 
and  gathered  the  fuel  known  to  plainsmen  as  “bull 
chips,”  which  made  a  very  hot  fire  when  used  in  suffi¬ 
cient  quantities  and,  “  barrin  the  idee,”  served  to  cook  a 
first-rate  dinner. 

As  I  am  writing  of  a  mode  of  travel  now  rendered 
entirely  obsolete  by  the  completed  line  of  railroad,  and 
of  characters  and  methods  of  life  no  longer  met  with  by 
the  ordinary  traveler,  some  special  account  of  daily 
fare  of  those  whose  occupation  has  now  fallen  into  dis¬ 
use  may  be  interesting  to  the  general  reader.  In  a  few 
years  more,  our  aggressive  commercial  enterprise  and 
comprehensive  civilization  will  have  obliterated  those 


222  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

routes  along  which  the  mule  and  ox  trains  bore  the 
trade  and  immigrants  to  our  great  territories.  The 
kinds  as  well  as  routes  of  trade  will  be  rapidly  modified, 
with  new  agencies  and  a  vaster  scope.  With  the  pres¬ 
ent  generation  will  almost  entirely  disappear  whole 
classes  of  men  who  were  met  with  everywhere  in  the 
Territories.  Their  occupation  will  be  gone,  and  there 
will  be  neither  demand  nor  school  for  the  training  of 
others.  A  hardy,  brave  and  rough  race  generally,  they 
were  essential  to  their  time,  pioneers  of  a  better  day, 
yielding  their  places  slowly  to  new  routes  of  com¬ 
merce  for  the  world,  their  wagons  disappearing  before 
railroads,  which  are  vaster  than  plains  or  mountains. 
With  representatives  of  these  men  I  was  associated  for 
the  time.  Thus  far  we  had  lived  rather  poorly  on 
bacon,  bread,  coffee  without  milk  or  sugar,  and  such 
molasses  as  is  used  in  the  States  as  a  medium  for  fly- 
poison.  But  west  of  Green  River  we  entered  a  region 
abounding  in  jack-rabbits  and  sage  hens,  with  which  our 
passengers  kept  us  pretty  well  supplied.  I  had  thought 
from  its  appearance  that  the  sage  hen  could  not  be 
eaten,  but  found  it  rather  palatable,  tasting  like  the 
flesh  of  our  domestic  hen  strongly  flavored  with  sage. 
The  jack-rabbit  is  about  four  times  as  large  as  the  com¬ 
mon  “  cotton-tail,”  and  two  of  them  made  an  ample 
meal  for  our  crowd  of  sixteen.  For  biscuits  the  self¬ 
rising  flour  is  used  on  the  plains ;  but  our  cooks  were 
not  even  respectable  amateurs  and  half  the  time  our 
bread  was  “  Missouri-bake,”  i.  e.,  burnt  on  top  and  at 
the  bottom,  and  raw  in  the  middle. 

The  water  supply  was  so  irregular,  too,  that  most  of 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


223 


the  way  we  made  but  one  “  route”  per  day,  which 
implies  no  dinner.  To  aggravate  the  case  further,  we 
often  had  not  enough  at  breakfast,  and  supper  was  our 
only  full  meal.  At  night  all  were  at  leisure ;  the 
mules  were  fed,  turned  out  and  given  in  charge  of  the 
night  herder ;  the  boys  gathered  around  the  fire,  while 
the  cooks  took  their  time  and  prepared  a  bushel  or 
more  of  biscuits,  and  we  ate  as  long  as  we  pleased. 
But  in  the  morning  all  was  hurry;  the  mules  were 
done  eating  before  the  men  began ;  the  “  wagon-boss  ” 
hurried  the  cooks,  so  they  did  not  prepare  enough ;  at 
the  shout  of  “ grub-pile,”  every  man  “went  for”  his 
share  in  haste,  and  the  fastest  eater  got  the  most. 
When  we  got  far  enough  to  meet  Salt  Lake  teams 
with  freshly  dried  peaches  of  this  year’s  crop,  we  in¬ 
vested  largely  therein,  and  our  cooks  made  a  number 
of  peach  pies. 

The  materials  were  flour,  bacon  grease,  peaches  and 
the  molasses  above  mentioned,  the  pies  being  cooked 
in  a  tin  plate  inside  of  a  baking  kettle.  Half  a  dozen 
of  them  as  curiosities  would  be  a  prize  to  a  Ladies’ 
Fair,  or  a  rare  addition  to  a  Medical  Museum.  Our 
favorite  dinner,  when  we  could  get  the  meat,  was  of 
fried  ham  and  “  sinkers,”  the  latter  peculiar  to  the 
plains.  Here  is  the  recipe  :  Flour,  ad  libitum ;  water, 
qimnt.  suff.;  soda,  a  spoonful,  if  you  have  it,  if  not  a 
pinch  of  ashes.  Make  in  thin  cakes,  and  fry  rapidly 
in  hot  grease,  with  long  handled  frying  pans.  “  Death- 
balls  ”  and  “  Stone-blinders  ”  are  made  in  the  same 
way,  with  the  addition  to  the  first  of  the  molasses, 
and  to  the  second  plenty  of  saleratus. 


224 


LIFE  IN'  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 


Lady  readers  will  give  due  credit  for  the  above 
recipes,  as  I  believe  they  are  not  found  in  “  Leslie.” 
My  fellow  passengers  are  worthy  of  notice.  I  had 
originally  intended  on  leaving  the  States  to  proceed 
directly  by  railroad  and  stage  to  Salt  Lake  City ;  but 
charges  on  the  Union  Pacific  being  then  at  the  rate  of 
ten  cents  per  mile,  on  reaching  the  then  terminus  at 
North  Platte,  I  found  myself  laboring  temporarily 
under  a  serious  attack  of  what  Tom  Hood  calls  “  im- 
pecuniosity,”  and  under  the  necessity  of  finding  some 
cheaper,  if  less  expeditious  mode  of  conveyance. 
Freight  had  accumulated,  and  teamsters  were  in  de¬ 
mand.  So  I  took  to  the  plains  with  the  train  of 
Naisbit  and  Hindley,  Mormon  merchants  of  Salt  Lake 
City,  in  the  capacity  of  a  “  mule-skinner”  for  the  trip, 
seated  on  the  back  of  my  “  near  wheeler,”  and  wielding 
a  whip  nearly  half  as  large  as  mj^self  over  the  backs  of 
three  spans  of  mules,  viz.:  “  Brigham”  and  “  Sally 
Ann,”  “  Ponce  ”  and  “  J ule,”  “  Kit  ”  and  “  Mexico.” 
Whether  the  name  of  my  “  off-leader”  had  any  refer¬ 
ence  to  one  of  the  real  Brigham’s  numerous  wives,  1 
cannot  say;  but  such  a  reckless  system  of  asinine 
nomenclature  would  hardly  indicate  a  delicate  respect 
for  the  Prophet  on  the  part  of  these  young  “  Saints.” 
Of  our  little  party  of  sixteen,  two  drivers,  the  night 
herder  and  three  passengers  were  Gentiles;  the  rest 
Mormons,  or  at  least  “  hickory  Mormons,”  sons  of 
Mormon  parents;  most  of  them  tall,  awkward  and 
lank  lads  of  eighteen  or  twenty,  with  premonitory 
symptoms  of  manhood  breaking  out  on  their  chins, 
giving  them,  as  they  never  shaved,  a  very  verdant  and 
backwoods  appearance. 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


225 


For  the  night  we  joined  blankets  by  two’s,  sleeping 
on  gunny  bags,  under  the  wagons.  My  partner  was  a  tall, 
lank  Mormon,  a  native  of  Mississippi, — “a  tough  cuss 
from  Provo,”  his  companions  called  him, — who,  after  a 
few  days’  travel  grew  quite  confidential  and  told  me  his 
whole  history.  He  joined  the  Confederate  army  at  the 
first  call,  fought  till  he  was  tired,  and  allowed  himself 
to  be  captured  in  Hood’s  retreat  from  Nashville;  took 
the  amnesty  oath  for  which  his  “  girl,  in  Massassipp, 
wouldn’t  have  nothin'  more  to  say  to  him,”  when  he  took 
a  huge  disgust  at  the  States,  and  Came  out  and  joined  the 
Mormons  in  1865.  He  has  “  a  house  an’  lot  an’  two 
good  lookin’  wives  in  the  Twentieth  Ward,  and  con¬ 
siders  himself  settled.”  I  should  think  he  would.  As  an 
outsider,  I  had  kept  quiet  on  the  subject  of  polygamy; 
but  one  evening  when  reading  an  account  of  some 
Chicago  social  abomination,  a  young  Mormon  remarked, 
“That  is  the  benefit  of  polygamy;  they  have  nothing 
of  that  sort.”  “Polygamy  would  be  all  right,  Bill,” 
said  another,  “if  they  only  wouldn’t  pull  hair.  But 
the  women  will  pull  hair  anyway  you  fix  it.”  As  the 
first  home  testimony  I  had  received  on  the  “  peculiar 
institution”  of  Utah,  this  could  hardly  be  considered 
i  favorable.  In  our  party  were  two  grandsons  of  the  late 
Heber  C.  Kimball,  not  much  of  a  distinction  when  it 
is  remembered  that  worthy  left  some  fifty  children  to 
keep  his  name  in  remembrance.  I  have  generally 
found  all  the  younger  generation  of  Mormons  to  be 
infidels,  and  suspect  it  must  be  so  with  the  youth  of 
any  religion  which  has  in  it  so  little  of  the  element  of 
spirituality;  certainly  with  the  more  intelligent  of 
15 


226 


LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 


them.  From  a  gross,  sensuous  religion,  the  thinking 
mind  glides  naturally  into  a  cold  and  cheerless  skep¬ 
ticism. 

Our  group  of  sixteen  stood  as  follows  :  seven  infidels, 
mostly  of  Mormon  parents  ;  five  “  good  Mormons ;  ” 
two  Lutherans ;  one  Catholic,  and  one  Methodist.  Re¬ 
ligiously,  all  are  pretty  much  alike  on  the  plains,  but 
socially  there  is  even  there  an  “  aristocracy,”  and  con¬ 
siderable  “  class  and  caste  ”  jealousy.  The  “  mule- 
skinner”  considers  the  “  bull-whacker  ”  quite  beneath 
him,  and  will  hardly  associate  with  him  upon  equal 
terms,  while  the  latter  doubtless  looks  upon  the  former 
as  “  stuck  up  ”  and  proud.  The  “  bull-whackers  ”  have 
to  drive  very  late,  for  which  reason  they  never  seem  so 
social  and  lively  as  the  drivers  in  mule  trains.  All  our 
work  was  done  by  dark,  and  gathered  around  the  camp¬ 
fire  we  would  spend  the  evening  hours  in  lively  songs 
and  merriment,  varied  by  some  with  an  occasional  dose 
of  “  Red  Jacket,”  which  is  used  on  the  plains  as  an  al¬ 
terative,  sanative,  sedative  and  preventive.  On  the 
wild  mountain  side  or  in  the  deep  glen,  by  a  sage  brush 
fire,  one  may  imagine  the  roaring  chorus  from  a  dozen 
pairs  of  strong  lungs,  over  such  a  choice  bit  of  poetry 
as  this : 


“  Oh,  how  happy  is  the  man  who  has  heard  instruction’s  voice, 
And  turned  a  mule-skinner  for  his  first  and  early  choice,”  etc. 

Or  such  a  bit  of  historv  as  this : 

4/ 

11  Obadier,  he  dream pt  a  dream, 

Dreampt  he  was  drivin’  a  ten  mule  team, 

But  when  he  woke  he  heaved  a  sigh, 

The  lead  mule  kicked  e-o-wt  the  swing  mule’s  eye.” 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM.  227 

Compared  with  these  bold  and  joyous  utterances,  there 
is  quite  a  touch  of  the  pathetic  in 

“THE  BULL-WHACKER’S  EPIC.” 

“  Oh !  I’m  a  jolly  driver  on  the  Salt  Lake  City  line, 

And  I  can  lick  the  rascal  that  yokes  an  ox  of  mine  ; 

He’d  better  turn  him  out,  or  you  bet  your  life  I’ll  try 
To  sprawl  him  with  an  ox-bow — ‘Root  hog,  or  die.’ 

“  Oh  !  I’ll  tell  you  how  it  is  when  you  first  get  on  the  road  : 

You’ve  got  an  awkward  team  and  a  very  heavy  load  ; 

You’ve  got  to  whip  and  hollow,  (if  you  swear  it’s  on  the  sly,) — ■ 
Punch  your  teams  along  boys — ‘Root  hog,  or  die.’ 

“Oh  !  it’s  every  day  at  noon  there  is  something  to  do. 

If  there’s  nothing  else,  there  will  be  an  ox  to  shoe  ; 

First  with  ropes  you  throw  him,  and  there  you  make  him  lie 
While  you  tack  on  the  shoes,  boys— ‘  Root  hog,  or  die.’ 

“Perhaps  you’d  like  to  know  what  it  is  we  have  to  eat, 

A  little  bit  of  bread,  and  a  dirty  piece  of  meat ; 

A  little  old  molasses,  and  sugar  on  the  sly, 

Potatoes  if  you’ve  got  ’em — ‘  Root  hog,  or  die.’  ^ 

“Oh  !  there’s  many  strange  sights  to  be  seen  along  the  road, 

The  antelopes  and  deer  and  the  great  big  sandy  toad, 

The  buffalo  and  elk,  the  rabbits  jump  so  high, 

And  with  all  the  bloody  Injuns — ‘  Root  hog,  or  die.’ 

“  The  prairie  dogs  in  Dog-town,  and  the  prickly  pears, 

And  the  buffalo  bones  that  are  scattered  everywheres  ; 

Now  and  then  dead  oxen  from  vile  Alkali, 

Are  very  thick  in  places,  where  it’s  ‘  Root  hog,  or  die.’ 

“Oh  !  you’ve  got  to  take  things  on  the  plains  as  you  can, 

They’ll  never  try  to  please  you,  ‘  or  any  other  man  ;’ 

You  go  it  late  and  early,  and  also  wet  or  dry, 

And  eat  when  you  can  get  it — ‘  Root  hog,  or  die.’ 

“  Oh,  times  on  Bitter  Creek,  they  never  can  be  beat, 

‘  Root  hog,  or  die’  is  on  every  wagon  sheet ; 

The  sand  within  your  throat,  the  dust  within  your  eye, 

Bend  your  back  and  stand  it,  to  ‘  Root  hog,  or  die.’ 


228  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

u  When  we  arrived  in  Salt  Lake,  the  25th  of  June, 

The  people  were  surprised  to  see  us  come  so  soon  ; 

But  we  are  bold  bull- whackers  on  whom  you  can  rely, 

We’re  tough,  and  we  can  stand  it,  to  ‘Koot  hog,  or  die.’  ” 

It  will  be  seen  that  the  “  sacred  nine  ”  flourish  even 
on  the  American  Desert. 

We  were  two  days  in  passing  the  thirty  miles  down 
Echo  Canon,  our  progress  being  slow  because  the  roads 
were  so  badly  cut  up  by  the  workmen  on  the  railroad 
track.  Hundreds  of  English,  Welsh,  Swedes  and  Danes, 
were  there  at  work  on  Brigham  Young’s  contract,  which 
extended  sixty  miles  through  Echo  and  Weber  Canons. 
Among  them  were  many  who  had  just  come  over  and 
were  working  out  their  passage  money,  which  the  Church 
had  advanced  from  the  Perpetual  Emigration  Fund.  In 
the  wildest  part  of  the  canon  we  halted  for  four  hours 
of  a  beautiful  autumn  day,  every  moment  of  Avhich  was 
full  of  delight,  in  gazing  upon  the  wall-like  cliffs,  the 
straw  colored  rocks,  the  deep  rifts  and  caverns  in  the 
mountain  sides,  and  all  the  sublime  scenery  which  has 
made  this  place  so  noted. 

The  road  here  lay  directly  under  a  perpendicular 
cliff  of  nearly  a  thousand  feet  in  height,  where  great 
rocks,  of  many  tons  weight,  hung  over  the  way ;  others 
which  had  fallen  ages  ago  and  rolled  to  the  lower  plain, 
stood  like  vast  table  rocks  in  the  valley’s  bed.  Where 
I  stood,  I  could  view  the  southern  slope  of  the  hills  for 
twenty  miles,  and  beyond  them  the  white  peaks  of  the 
Wintah  Range,  bathed  in  clouds  of  clear  and  dazzling 
whiteness,  through  which  the  sun  was  just  breaking  in 
glorious  majesty.  It  was  the  hour  of  morning  service, 
and  nature  here  seemed  yielding  silent  worship : 


I  :  *, 

1  -  ' 

!  *  ’  r 

V  " . 

- 


•t 


I 


' 

■ 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


229 


11  But  the  sound  of  the  church -going  bell 
These  valleys  and  rocks  never  heard ; 

Ne’er  sighed  at  the  sound  of  a  knell, 

Or  smiled  when  a  Sabbath  appeared.” 

A  soft,  sighing  wind  swept  down  the  canon,  and 
;  mournful  murmurs  issued  from  the  rocky  side-crevices, 
which  doubtless  spoke  often  to  the  Indian  as  the  spirits 
i  of  his  fathers,  calling  from  the  happy  hunting  grounds. 
The  Greek  poet  would  have  heard  in  them  the  moan- 
ings  of  imprisoned  souls  seeking  release  from  their 
rocky  dungeons  ;  but  to  the  Christian  the  whole  scene 
brings  to  solemn  rehiembrance  the  time  when  “  He 
istood  and  measured  the  earth;  the  everlasting  moun¬ 
tains  were  scattered;  the  perpetual  hills  did  bow.” 

Below  this  point  we  passed  the  remains  of  the  fortifi¬ 
cations,  or  rather  stone-piles,  which  the  Mormons 
erected  in  1857  to  stay  the  march  of  Johnston’s  army, 
and  a  little  farther  down  the  young  Mormons  pointed 
out  a  rock,  rising  apparently  seven  or  eight  hundred 
feet  above  the  road,  on  the  top  of  which  a  Mormon  boy 
was  shot  dead  by  his  companion  below,  “just  on  a 
dare,  and  to  see  if  his  gun  would  carry  up  that  high.” 
This  was  the  only  life  lost  by  the  Mormon  forces  during 
that  memorable  “  war.”  The  sight  of  these  relics,  which 
would  have  aided  in  checking  a  well-handled  force 
about  as  much  as  the  canvass  forts  at  Pekin,  caused  a 
warm  discussion  to  spring  up  among  us.  The 
“wretched  awkwardness”  of  the  Federal  cavalry  was 
contrasted  very  unfavorably  with  the  “  fiery  valor  ”  of 
the  Mormon  youth,  who  “  offered  to  lassoo  the  guns, 
rode  full  tilt  down  a  point  where  a  blue-coat  wouldn’t 
venture,  took  a  man  prisoner,  drank  with  him  and  let 


230  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

✓ 

him  go,”  etc.,  etc.  “  If  the  army  had  been  volunteers,” 
was  the  general  expression,  “  they  would  have  been 
wiped  out ;  but  we  only  felt  pity  for  the  low  Dutch  and 
Irish,  sent  out  here  just  to  keep  them  moving.” 

Something  might  have  been  deducted  from  this  on 
the  score  of  prejudice.,  but  from  other  and  less  interested 
testimony,  I  am  compelled  to  conclude  that  the  Army 
of  Utah  must  have  been  “poor  sticks,”  unless,  as  is 
probable,  there  was  a  secret  understanding  that  they 
were  not  to  force  their  way  into  the  valley  the  first  year. 
Of  all  the  evils  with  which  the  “  masterly  inactivity  ” 
of  Buchanan’s  Administration  afflicted  us,  the  Utah  ex¬ 
pedition  of  1857  and  its  results  were  certainly  not  the 
least.  To-day  three-fourths  of  the  Mormons  firmly  be¬ 
lieve  that  Johnston’s  Army  was  compelled  to  retreat  by 
the  Mormon  guerilla  chief,  Lot  Smith,  and  that  they 
were  only  allowed  to  come  into  the  valley  after  a  treaty 
had  been  made  with  Brigham.  When  asked  why  the 
people  vacated  their  homes  and  went  South  when  the 
army  came  in  the  next  year,  if  they  had  gained  the 
victory,  the  prompt  answer  is  :  “  It  was  the  will  of  the 
Lord.”  This  is  the  explanation  of  all  difficult  points 
in  Utah,  and  a  very  convenient  one  it  is. 

On  the  5th  of  September,  we  emerged  from  Echo  into 
Weber  Canon,  finding  a  pretty  little  settlement,  in  a 
spot  of  great  natural  beauty,  where  we  halted  for  rest 
and  feed.  Scarcely  had  we  formed  corral  and  loosed 
our  mules,  when  a  sudden  change  came  over  the  western 
sky,  the  afternoon  sun  was  obscured  by  a  murky  haze, 
the  Wasatch  peaks  were  lost  in  sudden  accumulations 
of  dense  cloud,  and  in  a  very  few  minutes  the  whole 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


231 


scene  was  shut  out  from  our  view  by  the  rapidly  gath¬ 
ering  storm.  For  a  few  minutes'  longer,  the  air  where 
we  stood  was  in  a  dead  calm,  then  a  strong  wind  swept 
up  the  green  valley  of  the  Weber,  sharp,  jagged  light¬ 
ning  ran  along  the  mountain  peaks  and  seemed  to  re¬ 
bound  from  cliff  to  cliff  evenly  with  the  echoing  thun¬ 
der,  and  we  had  barely  time  to  secure  the  fastenings  of 
our  wagon  covers  and  take  shelter  within,  when  the 
storm  was  upon  us  in  all  its  fury.  Blinding  clouds  of 
dust,  driven  by  fierce  gusts  of  wind,  were  succeeded  in 
an  instant  by  torrents  of  rain,  alternating  again  with 
heavy  winds  which  threatened  to  hurl  our  wagons  into 
the  Weber.  I  learned  with  surprise  that  this  usually 
dry,  mild  climate,  was.  subject  during  the  summer  and 
autumn  to  sudden  and  violent  wind  and  thunder-storms. 
The  rain  continued  for  an  hour,  sending  great  sluices 
down  the  mountain  gulches  and  lashing  the  placid 
waters  of  Echo  Creek  into  a  foaming,  muddy  torrent ; 
then  ceased  as  suddenly  as  it  had  risen ;  and  issuing 
from  our  retreats,  we  saw  the  dark  clouds  rolling  away 
to  the  southeast  over  the  Uintahs,  and  in  another  hour 
the  sun  was  again  shining  brilliantly.  By  evening  the 
roads  were  pleasantly  dry,  and  the  stormy  afternoon  was 
followed  by  a  glorious  sunset  and  a  night  of  unusual 
clearness.  We  now  changed  our  course  to  the  south¬ 
ward,  following  up  Weber  Canon,  or  rather  valley,  for 
in  this  part  of  its  course  it  is  too  wide  to  merit  the  for¬ 
mer  name.  The  track  of  the  Union  Pacific  Railroad, 
which  has  run  continuously  with  the  old  stage-road 
from  the  head  of  Bitter  Creek  and  followed  down  Echo 
Canon  for  twenty  miles,  at  the  mouth  of  Echo  turns  in 


232  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

a  direct  W.  N.  W.  course  down  Weber  Canon,  and  by 
that  pass  enters  Salt  Lake  Valley  thirty-five  miles  north 
of  the  city.  The  stage  road  turns  south  from  Echo, 
follows  up  Weber  to  Spring  Creek,  up  that  W.  S.  W.  to 
Parley’s  Park,  across  the  Park  and  down  Parley’s  Canon 
W.  N.  W.  into  the  city. 

In  Weber  Valley  we  find  ourselves,  for  the  first  time 
in  many  hundred  miles,  in  a  cultivated  and  settled 
country,  and  the  contrast  is  most  pleasing  to  the  eye 
wearied  by  miles  of  desert  and  mountain,  with  scant 
growth  of  sage-brush,  grease-wood,  and  desert  cactus. 
Another  Sunday’s  drive,  the  6th  of  September,  took  us 
through  Coalville,  point  of  coal  supply  for  Salt  Lake 
City,  through  forty  miles  distant  with  a  high  range  of 
mountains  between ;  a  rather  neat  but  homely  looking 
town,  with  a  few  houses  nicely  built  of  beautiful  white 
stone,  shingled  or  slated,  but  for  the  most  part  dwell¬ 
ings  of  rough  hewn  logs,  and  pole  roofs  covered  with 
dirt,  and  often  grass  and  flowers  growing  on  the  top. 
None  but  Mormons  live  in  this  valley,  and  I  soon 
learned  that  the  few  houses,  the  finish  of  which  I  ad¬ 
mired,  were  the  residences  of  the  Bishops  and  promi¬ 
nent  Elders.  The  settlements  extend  along  the  little 
valley  of  two  or  three  miles  in  width  with  high  pas¬ 
tures  beyond  the  cultivated  lands,  rolling  back  to  the 
mountains.  Vegetation  showed  that  growth  was  slow, 
and  the  season  late,  as  this  valley  is  among  the  highest 
in  the  Utah.  Fields  of  oats  near  the  road  had  just 
been  harvested,  and  hay-making  was  still  in  progress. 

We  next  passed  through  Wanship,  county-seat  of 
Summit  County,  and  soon  after  left  the  valley,  turning 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM, 


233 


to  the  right  and  following  up  Spring  Creek  Canon, 
towards  the.  summit.  Nearly  all  day  we  traveled  up 
hill,  passing  towards  evening  over  a  sort  of  summit 
level  and  then  down  a  gentle  slope  into  Parley’s  Park, 
a  valley  or  mountain  plateau  of  some  ten  thousand 
acres,  7000  feet  above  sea-level  and  entirely  surrounded 
by  rugged  mountain  ranges,  except  narrow  outlets  to 
the  north  and  west.  This  tract  produces  fine  grass 
both  for  pasturage  and  hay,  but  no  gram.  It  was  first 
owned  by  Heber  C.  Kimball,  who  had  wheat  sown  there 
for  seven  years  in  succession.  It  grew  well  and  headed 
out,  but  was  invariably  “cut  off  in  the  flower”  by  the 
frosts  of  early  September,  whereupon  Kimball  stated 
that  “  it  was  not  the  will  of  the  Lord  grain  should  grow 
there,”  and  gave  up  the.  experiment.  The  Park  received 
its  name  in  honor  of  Parley  P.  Pratt,  noted  among  the 
early  apostles  of  Mormonism,  and  brother  of  Orson 
Pratt,  scholar,  historian,  and  astronomer,  the  Usman 
of  the  new  faith.  Parley  seems  to  have  been  a  radical 
believer  in  polygamy,  las  he  was  certainly  thorough  in 
its  practice,  having  six  wives  some  time  before  his  death. 
But,  not  satisfied  with  these,  he  converted  a  Mrs.  Elinor 
McLean,  wife  of  Hector  McLean,  of  Arkansas,  and  took 
her  to  Salt  Lake  City,  and  married  her.  The  enraged 
husband  sought  Pratt,  when  on  a  mission  in  Kansas,  in 
1856,  and  literally  cut  him  to  pieces  with  a  bowie  knife. 
In  Mormonism  as  in  El  Islam ,  the  wives  of  the  infidels 
are  lawful  prey  to  any  believer  who  can  win  them ; 
while,  at  the  same  time,  it  is  one  of  the  deadliest  sins 
in  their  code  for  any  other  man  to  entice  away  one  of 
their  “women,”  an  unpardonable  crime  for  which  they 


234  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 


FOUR  WIVES. 


openly  threaten  and  claim  the  right  to  inflict  deatli. 
To  convert  a  Gentile’s  wife  to  Mormonisrn  is  the  highest 
achievement;  the  reverse  worthy  of  death.  There  is 
a  great  deal  in  the  way  one  states  things ;  it  makes  all 
the  diflerence  between  “Danite”  and  Damnite.  Pratt 
was  canonized  among  the  “glorious  martyrs”  of  the 
Latter-day  faith,  and  his  murder  takes  high  rank,  in  the 
long  list  of  “persecutions”  they  have  laid  up  against 
the  Gentiles. 


AND  CHIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


235 


There  is  a  small  Mormon  settlement  on  the  south 
side  of  the  Park,  near  where  an  old  fort  stood,  but  all 
the  central  portion  is  the  property  of  Mr.  Wm.  Kim¬ 
ball,  eldest  son  of  Heber,  formerly  an  ardent  Mormon, 
but  now  weak  in  the  faith,  and  sincerely  trusting  for 
inspiration  in  a  more  ardent  spirit ,  or  at  least  a  more 
exhilarating  one,  if  the  testimony  of  his  friends  and 
nose  be  accepted.  He  has,  however,  “  kept  the  faith  ” 
by  taking  three  wives ;  the  youngest  and  handsomest 
lives  with  him  in  a  large  stone  hotel  near  the  center  of 
the  Park,  on  the  stage  road;  the  second  wife,  appa¬ 
rently  quite  old,  lives  in  a  low  log  house  two  hundred 
yards  from  the  hotel,  and  his  legal  wife  lives  in  the 
city,  and,  it  is  said,  takes  in  spinning  and  weaving  for 
a  living.  The  first  and  second  wives  had  each  a  son 
in  our  “  outfit,”  Burton  and  Willie  Kimball,  rather 
bright,  intelligent  boys,  and  for  the  night  we  encamped 
near  their  father’s  “  ranche,”  procuring  a  plentiful 
supply  of  milk,  butter  and  eggs.  I  afterwards  found 
it  to  be  quite  common  for  hotel-keepers  on  the  various 
roads  to  have  two  or  three  wives;  sometimes  an 
English  wife  as  housekeeper,  a  Danish  wife  as  gardener, 
and  if  there  was  a  third,  she  did  the  spinning  and 
weaving  for  the  family. 

Thus  all  the  requirements  of  a  first-class  establish¬ 
ment  are  kept  up,  and  servants  dispensed  with ;  the 
“  woman  question,”  “  servant-gal-ism  ”  and  “  division  of 
labor”  settled  by  one  master  stroke,  and  profits  deduced 
from  polygamy  with  more  certainty  than  polygamy 
from  the  Prophets. 

From  the  Park  we  follow  the  stage  road  over  a  low 


236  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

“  divide”  to  the  head  of  Parley’s  Canon,  but  made  such 
slow  progress  that  we  were  compelled  to  encamp  for  a 
night  in  the  wildest  part  of  the  gorge,  with  barely 
room,  and  in  but  one  place  to  range  the  wagons  in 
corral  between  the  road  and  bed  of  the  stream. 

The  view  was  one  of  indescribable  beauty.  On  either 
hand  rose  the  dark  green  sides  of  the  canon,  apparently 
almost  perpendicular,  yet  covered  with  masses  of  tim¬ 
ber  to  the  very  summit ;  while  down  the  rocky  flume, 
in  the  lowest  part  of  the  canon,  dashed  the  clear  waters 
of  the  creek,  formed  by  melting  snows  but  a  few  miles 
above.  From  where  we  stand  the  gray  crest  of  the 
summit  seems  within  pistol  shot,  and  I  am  surprised  to 
learn  that  it  is  at  least  one  mile  in  a  direct  line  from 
my  eye,  and  those  apparent  steeps  near  the  top  are 
really  gentle  slopes  covered  with  grass  and  bushes. 
The  masses  of  timber  which  stand  out  so  boldly  to¬ 
wards  the  lower  part  of  the  canon  appear  to  follow  up 
the  side  gulches  in  rapidly  lessening  lines,  sinking  to 
rows  of  little  saplings,  and  terminating  in  a  mere  fringe 
at  the  top  like  ornamental  shrubbery.  Yet  those 
trifling  looking  poles  are  many  of  them  from  one  to  two 
feet  thick.  To  one  whose  early  life  has  been  passed  in 
a  leveler  prairie  country,  these  mountain  scenes  are  an 
ever-varying  source  of  surprise  and  delight,  and  he 
only  wonders  why  those  whose  home  has  been  in  the 
mountains  should  ever  leave  them.  Nor  do  they  often. 
There  is  a  charm  in  the  wild  freedom  of  these  heights 
which  all  must  acknowledge,  nor  is  it  much  less  so  on 
the  plains,  and  though  the  mountaineer  and  plainsman 
may  return  to  eastern  friends  and  the  abodes  of  civil- 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


237 


ization,  they  as  often  feel  the  irresistible  longing  to  be 
back  amid  the  untrained  wildness  of  nature. 

From  this  camp  we  made  another  day’s  travel  down 
hill,  all  day  by  the  side  of  the  rushing  stream,  under 
numerous  hanging  rocks  which  seem  to  threaten  de¬ 
struction  to  all  who  venture  beneath  ;  now  through 
frightful  “  dugways  ”  far  up  the  hillside,  where  a  vari¬ 
ance  of  three  feet  would  send  team  and  driver  to  frag¬ 
mentary  destruction,  and  now  far  down  in  the  deeps, 
where  the  enclosing  walls  above  almost  shut  out  the 
sunshine. 

Soon  after  noon  we  passed  the  last  stage  station  in  a 
sort  of  open  valley  where  a  side  canon  connects  Emigra¬ 
tion  and  Parley’s,  but  after  a  few  more  turns  we  enter 
a  deeper  pass,  of  more  wild  and  startling  beauty. 
Finally  we  reached  the  Canon  Gates,  a  narrow  p^s,  just 
wide  enough  to  afford  road  room,  with  perpendicular 
walls  several  hundred  feet  in  height,  where  we  emerged 
from  the  mountains  and  came  out  into  a  hollow  with 
sloping  sides  and  a  freer  outlook.  About  4  p.  M.  I 
caught  sight  for  the  first  time  of  the  open  valley  and 
blue  hills  far  beyond,  but  for  an  hour  more  we  con¬ 
tinued  to  wind  along  a  “  dugway,”  and  at  length 
emerged  upon  an  open  “  bench,”  where  I  could  see  the 
distant  glimmer  of  Jordan  and  the  “  marshes,”  and  the 
mountains  west  of  Great  Salt  Lake,  a  faint,  blue,  cloudy 
line,  that  in  the  silvery  light  of  the  declining  sun  ap¬ 
peared  fading  away  in  infinite  perspective. 

Slowly  descending  from  the  “  bench”  to  the  valley,  I 
caught  sight  of  the  hill  north  of  the  city  and  the  canon 
from  which  issues  City  Creek ;  then  of  Camp  Douglass, 


238  LIFE  IN  UTAH  ;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

Far  to  the  right  and  three  miles  east  of  the  city ;  then  of 
the  Arsenal,  Tabernacle,  Brigham’s  house,  and  the 
Theatre,  and  at  last  the  city  appeared  in  full  view, 
scattered  for  miles  over  the  slope,  and  looking  in  the 
distance  and  haze  of  evening,  like  a  collection  of  vil¬ 
lages  with  groves  and  orchards  scattered  among  them. 

Night  overtook  us  four  miles  Out,  where  we  formed 

\ 

corral  in  an  open  space  by  the  “  uphill  canal, ”so  called, 
from  which  place  on  the  next  morning,  September  10th, 
we  entered  the  city. 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM.  239 


CHAPTER  IX. 

TWO  WEEKS  IN  SALT  LAKE  CITY. 

$ 

4 

Views  of  the  City — Temple  Block — Brigham’s  Block — Theatre — Immi¬ 
grants — Mormon  Arguments — Reasons  for  Polygamy — “Book  of  Mor¬ 
mon” — First  Mormon  Sermon — “  Old”  Joe  Young — His  Beauty  (?) — 
His  Sermon — Mormon  Style  of  Preaching — Order  of  Services — First 
impressions  rather  favorable — Much  to  learn  yet. 

On  first  impressions  Utah  seems  to  me  to  have  the 
perfection  of  climates,  and  Salt  Lake  City  the  finest  na¬ 
tural  site  in  the  West.  Nor  is  this  feeling  much  les¬ 
sened  by  longer  stay.  From  a  point  on  the  hill  just 
North  of  the  city  and  near  the  Arsenal  one  can  take  in 
at  a  view  the  lake,  the  city,  the  mountains  and  the 
valley  for  thirty  miles  south  and  southeast.  From  this 
point  Jordan  valley  appears  nearly  in  the  shape  of  a 
horse  shoe,  with  the  city  just  under  the  point  of  the 
northern  termination  of  the  east  side,  and  the  lake 
lying  across  the  open  end.  But  the  southern  point  of 
the  valley  which  seems  to  the  spectator  here  to  close, 
only  narrows  at  the  canon  of  the  Jordan,  and  opens  be¬ 
yond  that  to  contain  the  Utah  Lake  district.  Beginning 
northeast  of  the  city,  and  extending  south  in  the  order 
named,  are  City  Creek,  Red  Butte,  Emigration,  Parley’s, 
Big  Cottonwood  and  Little  Cottonwood  canons,  all  break¬ 
ing  through  the  Wasatch  from  the  east.  From  this 
point,  too,  every  house  in  the  city  can  be  seen ;  the  plat 
resembles  the  even  squares  of  a  checker-board,  the  rows 


240  LIFE  IN  UTAH  ;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

of  trees  lining  all  the  streets,  and  the  crystal  streams  of 
water  which  seem  in  the  distance  like  threads  of  silver, 
combining  to  give  a  strange  and  fanciful  beauty  to  the 
scene. 

Salt  Lake  City  is  situated  in  latitude  40°  46'  North, 
and  longitude  111°  53'  west  of  Greenwich,  nearly 
4,300  feet  above  sea  level,  and  was  laid  out  in  1847. 
The  streets  are  at  exact  right  angles,  running  with  the 
cardinal  points  and  numbered  every  way  from  Temple 
Block,  which  is  in  Utah  the  starting  point  of  all 
measurements,  calculations  and  principles,  whether  of 
ecclesiastical,  civil,  political  or  engineering.  Its  exact 
place  is  ascertained  to  be  as  above  given  for  the  city. 

The  street  bounding  it  on  the  east  is  called  East 
Temple  street,  the  next  one  First  East  Temple,  or 
merely  First  East,  the  next  Second  East  and  thus  on ; 
the  same  nomenclature  is.  maintained  in  all  the 

M 

streets,  North,  South  and  West.  Each  street  is  forty- 
four  yards  in  width,  with  sixteen  feet  .pavements, 
leaving  one  hundred  feet  clear,  and  each  block  exactly 
a  furlong  square,  containing  ten  acres,  divided  into 
eight  lots  of  an  acre  and  a  quarter  each.  Nine  squares 
are  included  in  each  ward,  and  there  are  twenty-one 
wards,  beginning  with  the  First  on  the  southeast  cor¬ 
ner  and  reckoned  westward  to  the  Fifth,  then  back¬ 
ward  and  forward,  boustrophedon ,  terminating  with  the 
Twentieth  on  the  northeast.  The  outer  wards,  how¬ 
ever,  contain  large  additional  tracts  extending  the 
jurisdiction  of  the  city  over  wide  limits.  The  greatest 
length  of  the  city  proper  is  thus,  from  southeast  to 
northwest  about  four  miles,  and  its  greatest  width,  from 


* 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


241 


northeast  to  southwest  a  little  over  two  miles.  But  a 
small  portion,  however,  of  this  large  area  is  thickly 
settled ;  in  two-thirds  of  the  city  the  scattered  dwellings 
are  mingled  with  orchards,  gardens,  small  pastures  or 
grass-plats,  and  even  small  wheat  and  cornfields,  like  a 
thickly  settled  farming  country  or  nursery  ground, 
rather  than  a  city ;  and  to  this  fact  the  place  is  indebted 
hr  no  small  share  of  its  beauty.  Nine- tenths  of  the 
buildings  are  of  adobes ,  or  sun  dried  brick,  throughout 
the  West  spelled  and  pronounced  dobies ,  which  material 
orresponds  nearly  with  brick  in  the  East,  and  where 
plastered  and  stuccoed  makes  an  elegant  and  durable 
building. 

The  western  part  of  the  city  extends  to  the  Jordan, 
md  the  ground  in  that  vicinity  is  rather  low  and  in 
vinter  and  spring  marshy ;  hence  the  finest  residences 
ire  north  and  east,,  and  all  the  public  buildings  above 
Third  South  Street.  Let  us  note  a  few  of  them,  be¬ 
ginning,  by  invariable  custom,  at  Temple  Block,  which 
ncludes  the  usual  ten  acres,  containing  the  old  and 
lew  Tabernacles,  the  Endowment  (locally  known  as 
Ondooment )  House,  and  the  foundation  for  the  great 
Temple  which  is  to  be.  The  old  Tabernacle  is  a  sort 
if  nondescript  building,  oblong  in  shape,  with  a  third; 
bf  the  room  underground,  in  the  southwest  corner  of 
:he  block,  capable  of  holding  some  '2,500  persons.  The* 
lew  Tabernacle  is,  in  its  way,  a  curiosity;  there  is> 
bertainly  no  idolatry  in  the  reverence  paid  to  it,  for  it 
Is  like  nothing  else  in  the  heavens  above,  or  the  eartlr 
lieneath,  or  probably  the  waters  under  the  earth.  At 
irst  sight  the  prevailing  feeling  is  one  of  astonishment,, 
16 


242  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

which  soon  yields  to  curiosity  as  to  who  could  have 
designed  it.  It  is  built  in  the  form  of  a  complete  oval, 
the  major  axis  of  which  is  250  feet  in  length  and  the 
minor  axis  150  feet.  The  lower  part,  or  foundation 
for  the  dome,  consists  of  a  succession  of  forty-six  pillars 
of  red  cut  sand-stone,  each  about  six  feet  square  and 
ten  feet  high,  all  around  the  building ;  along  the  sides 
there  are  double  doors  between  the  pillars,  and  at  the 
ends  a  heavy  partition ;  on  this  structure  the  dome  or 
roof  rests  like  the  half  of  an  egg-shell.  The  latter  is  a 
vast  frame- work,  plastered  within  and  shingled  without, 
raised  along  the  centre  sixty-five  feet  above  the  floor. 
There  is  not  a  trace  of  the  beautiful  or  impressive 
about  it;  it  is  simply  a  vast  pile  awkwardly  put  to¬ 
gether,  and  with  twice  the  outlay  of  stone  and  mortar 
that  would  have  sufficed  to  provide  the  same  room  and 
accommodations  in  some  other  shape.  As  the  grand 
worshipping  hall  of  the  Saints  it  is  a  curiosity ;  as  a 
work  of  art  a  monstrosity.  The  Endowment  House, 
where  the  secret  rites  of  Mormonism  are  performed, 
is  an  unpretentious  adobe  building  in  the  northwest 
corner  of  the  lot.  I  cannot  describe  its  interior,  for 
the  profane  Gentile  may  not  enter  therein.  But  if  the 
testimony  of  numerous  witnesses  may  be  believed,  it  is 
fitted  up  with  various  rooms,  curtains,  stages  and 
scenery,  for  the  performance  of  a  grand  drama,  repre¬ 
senting  the  creation,  fall  of  man,  coming  of  a  redeemer, 
great  apostasy  and  final  restoration  of  the  true  priest¬ 
hood  through  Joseph  Smith. 

The  eastern  half  of  Temple  Block,  fenced  off  from 
the  western,  contains  only  the  foundation  for  the 


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AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


243 


Temple,  which  is  to  be  finished  in  great  splendor  just 
before  the  Saints  return  to  Jackson  County,  Missouri. 
Ground  was  first  broken  for  the  work  in  February, 
1853,  with  imposing  ceremonies;  in  the  seventeen 
years  that  have  since  elapsed,  the  edifice  has  reached  a 
level  with  the  ground,  from  which  those  familiar  with 
the  “  Rule  of  Three  ”  may  calculate  how  long  it  will 
require  for  it  to  complete  the  proposed  height  of  ninety- 
nine  feet.  The  foundation  is  unsurpassed  in  strength 
and  finish ;  of  the  finest  mountain  granite  of  a  bright 
gray  or  white,  slightly  flecked  with  blue ;  a  building 
of  such  material  would  indeed  outlast  the  anticipated 
thousand  years  of  Millennial  reign.  But  work  on  it  is 
slow,  or  rather  it  is  suspended ;  the  stone  is  very  hard, 
and  must  be  brought  some  twenty  miles  from  the 
mountains,  and  only  at  rare  intervals  a  workman  or 
two  is  seen  picking  away  at  one  of  the  huge  masses 
which  are  scattered  around  by  the  ton.  The  entire 
scpiare  is  surrounded  by  a  wall,  the  base  of  stone  and 
the  upper  part  of,  adobes ,  and  plastered,  twelve  feet 
high,  with  square  turrets  about  every  ten  feet,  and  a 
massive  gateway  under  stone  arches  at  the  center  of 
each  of  the  four  sides.  Crossing  East  Temple  Street 
we  reach  the  “  Prophet’s  Block,”  two  squares  of  ten 
acres  each,  the  western  containing  the  Deseret  Store, 
the  office  of  the  Deseret  News ,  official  organ  of  the 
Church,  the  Tithing  House  and  yard,  the  Lion  House, 
Bee  Hive  House,  offices  and  other  buildings  pertaining 
to  the  Prophet,  Priest,  Seer,  Revelator,  in  all  the  world, 
Grand  Archee,  First  President  and  Trustee-in-trust 
of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints,  all 


V 


244  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

of  which  titles  center  in  and  are  borne  by  Brigham 
Young. 

The  Lion  House  is  an  oblong  building  of  three  stories, 
plain  in  style,  but  quite  substantially  built  and  well 
finished.  Its  cost  is  reported  everywhere  from  thirty 
to  seventy  thousand  dollars.  In  the  States  it  could 
have  been  built  for  less'  than  the  former  sum.  Over  the 
pillared  portico  in  front  is  a  stone  lion,  a  sad  misappli¬ 
cation  of  the  emblem,  by  the  way,  as  that  royal  brute  is 
ever  content  with  one  mate .  The  bull  would  have  been 
more  appropriate,  but  that  is  a  matter  of  taste.  The 
Bee  Hive  House,  a  large  square  building  just  east  of  the 
former,  is  surmounted  by  a  stone  carving  in  imitation 
of  a  bee-hive.  The  entire  area  is  surrounded  by  a  wall 
eleven  feet  high  of  boulders  and  cobble  stones  laid  in 
mortar,  with  semi-circular  buttresses  at  equal  distances. 
The  eastern  half  of  the  enclosure  contains  various  build¬ 
ings  of  no  special  interest.  Between  the  two  lots  is  the 
main  entrance  to  City  Creek  Canon,  which  was 
“  granted  ”  to  Brigham  Young  by  the  first  Territorial 
Legislature ;  the  entrance  is  by  a  massive  stone  gate¬ 
way  under  an  arch,  upon  which  is  perched  an  immense 
eagle,  carved  by  a  Mormon  artist  out  of  native  wood — 
another  perversion  of  a  sacred  emblem,  the  royal  bird 
being,  like  his  brute  compeer,  a  strict  monogamist. 

Just  north  of  Brigham’s  grounds,  on  the  first  “  bench,” 
is  the  block  owned  by  the  late  Heber  C.  Kimball,  con¬ 
taining  one  superior  mansion  and  a  number  of  smaller 
dwellings,  in  which  eleven  of  the  Widows  Kimball  still 
reside.  The  other  seven  live  in  various  parts  of  the 
city,  with  the  families  to  which  they  belong.  Some 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


245 


fourteen  or  sixteen  of  Brigham’s  wives  reside  in  the 
Lion  House  and  Bee  Hive  House ;  the  others  live  in  dif¬ 
ferent  parts  of  the  city,  or  on  his  farms  in  the  country. 

From  the  canon  back  of  Brigham’s  grounds  issues 
City  Creek,  which  is  there,  by  dams,  diverted  from  its 
channel  and  carried  along  the  upper  part  of  the  city  in 
a  main  canal,  from  which  side  ditches  convey  the  streams 
down  both  sides  of  every  street,  furnishing  irrigation  to 
the  gardens,  and  pure  water,  in  the  upper  part  of  the 
city,  for  all  other  purposes.  Lower  down,  the  loose  black 
soil  and  the  wash  of  the  streets  render  the  water  rather 
impure,  though  it  is  used,  and  during  the  season  when 
irrigation  is  not  in  progress,  is  still  tolerably  clear. 
Next  to  Temple  Block  and  Brigham’s,  the  Theatre  is 
the  institution  of  Salt  Lake  City.  It  stands  one  square 
south  of  Brigham’s  grounds,  at  the  corner  of  First  South 
and  First  East  streets  ;  is  built  of  brick  and  rough  stone, 
covered  with  stucco  in  front,  and  its  cost  is  variously 
estimated  from  seventy  to  two  hundred  thousand  dollars. 
It  was  built  while  railroads  were  yet  a  thousand  miles 
distant,  probably  doubling  its  cost.  It  will  comfortably 
seat  two  thousand  persons,  and  can.  be  packed  with  a 
few  hundred  more;  the  proscenium  is  sixty  feet  deejo, 
and  the  building  the  largest  of  the  kind  west  of  Chicago. 

Formerly  the  playing  was  done  entirely  by  amateurs, 
under  the  training  of  old  London  professionals  turned 
Mormons ;  then  they  played  only  on  alternate  nights, 
rehearsing  one  night  and  playing  the  next,  pursuing 
their  ordinary  calling  by  day.  But  at  present  there  are 
professional  players  among  the  Mormons,  receiving  a 
regular  salary  and  assisted  by  “ stars”  from  abroad. 


246  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

Just  before  I  reached  Salt  Lake,  one  of  the  “  leading 
ladies  ”  of  the  home  troupe,  Miss  Sarah  Alexander,  took 
a  sudden  departure  for  California,  where  she  is  now  en¬ 
gaged  in  her  profession ;  and  quite  lately  another  home 
star,”  Miss  Asenath  Adams,  born  and  reared  among 
the  Saints,  has  left  to  become  the  wife  of  a  Gentile. 
Her  father,  a  bigoted  Mormon,  has  fully  realized  the 
text,  “  Train  up  a  child,  and  away  she  goes.” 

The  Parquet  is  usually  occupied  only  by  Mormons 
and  their  families ;  for  a  Gentile  to  be  seen  there  is  apt 
to  create  a  suspicion  of  “  jack-Mormon  ”  tendencies. 
The  resident  Gentiles  and  visitors  occupy  the  first  or 
Dress  Circle,  while  the  second  and  third  circles  are  given 
up  to  miners,  transients  and  boys,  and  even  Indians 
often  find  a  standing  66  at  the  top  of  the  house.” 

Next  in  interest  to  the  theatre  among  public  build¬ 
ings,  are  Social  Hall,  the  Seventies’  Hall  and  the  Court 
House.  The  last  named  is  built  entirely  of  adobes ,  but 
stuccoed  with  exquisite  finish  and  in  perfect  imitation 
of  variegated  granite,  making  a  building  of  fine  and  im¬ 
posing  appearance.  On  Main — East  Temple — Street, 
the  business  houses  are  all  included  within  two  blocks ; 
among  them,  the  stone  storehouse  of  Ransohoff  &  Co;, 
the  drug  store  of  Godbe  &  Co.,  the  large  building  of 
Walker  Brothers,  and  Masonic  Hall  building  would 
take  respectable  rank  in  eastern  cities  of  the  same  size. 
The  finest  business  house  in  the  city  is  that  of  Wm. 
J ennings  &  Co.,  now  devoted  to  the  uses  of  “  Zion’s  Co¬ 
operative  Association.”  There  are  two  well  built  hotels, 
the  Revere  House  and  Townsend,  and  a  number  of  pri¬ 
vate  residences  of  considerable  taste  and  beauty.  But 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


247 


it  is  easy  to  see  after  all,  that  the  beauty  of  Salt  Lake 
is  largely  by  comj>arison.  For  twenty  years  it  was  the 
only  town  between  the  Missouri  and  Sacramento ;  to 
reach  it,  men  had  to  plod  eleven  hundred  weary  miles, 
with  mules  or  oxen,  across  alkali  deserts,  rugged  moun¬ 
tains,  and  barren  flats ;  to  them  it  was  the  half-way 
place  for  rest  and  recruiting,  and  no  wonder  its  broad, 
well  watered  streets,  its  green,  cool  gardens  and  or¬ 
chards,  and  its  neat  white  adobes ,  seemed  a  very  terres¬ 
trial  Eden.  No  wonder  the  Mormon  emigrants  who 
had  made  the  weary  passage  from  Europe,  broke  forth 
into  songs  and  shouts  of  glad  surprise,  at  sight  of  their 
“  Zion.”  But  now  that  one  can  run  out  in  three  days 
from  the  well  built  cities  of  the  East,  the  contrast  is 
lacking,  the  illusion  is  destroyed,  and  early  visitors  are 
flatly  accused  of  having  “  blown  the  Salt  Lake  trumpet 
altogether  too  loud.” 

Twenty-three  years  ago,  this  region  was  a  desert  of 
sage-brush,  grease-wood  and  cactus,  when  on  the  24th  of 
July,  1847,  the  “pioneers”  first  entered  the  valley. 
Their  material  progress  since  shows  that  no  human  in¬ 
stitution  can  be  an  unmixed  evil. 

From  a  ramble  through  the  city,  I  went  to  the  noted 
Warm  Springs,  just  outside  the  city  to  the  northwest; 
and  without  the  faith  of  the  Mormons,  I  can  safely  agree 
with  them  that  this  pool  is  “  for  the  healing  of  the  na¬ 
tions.”  This  is  the  season  for  “  the  emigration  ”  to  ar¬ 
rive,  and  returning  to  the  city  I  found  the  people  ex¬ 
cited  over  the  arrival  of  a  train  of  fifty  teams,  bringing 
a  large  number  of  new  and  some  old  converts  from  Eng¬ 
land,  Denmark  and  Switzerland.  The  train  had  unloaded 


248 


LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 


in  the  church  corral ,  or  tithing  yard,  a  large  walled  en¬ 
closure  in  the  Prophet’s  Block;  I  entered  under  an 
arched  stone  gateway  and  viewed  the  new  arrivals.  Old, 
withered-looking  women,  fat,  clumpy-looking  girls  and 
middle-aged  “  vrows  ”  composed  the  female  portion,  and 
all  evidently  of  the  poorest  class. 

Their  friends,  and  the  sisters,  generally,  had  met  them 
with  hearty  hospitality,  carrying  in  buckets  of  milk  and 
baskets  of  fruit  and  provisions,  to  make  a  welcoming 
feast,  and  the  corral  was  a  scene  of  feasting  and  merri¬ 
ment.  But  there  were  a  few  sad  exceptions  to  the  uni¬ 
versal  joy.  Many  who  started  with  this  outfit  had  died 
by  the  way,  and  a  few  of  the  old  people  were  so  worn 
out  by  the  long  journey  that  it  seemed  they  could  not 
recover.  I  was  particularly  struck  with  the  appearance 
of  one  group.  An  old  English  woman,  whose  features  bore 
the  impress  of  exhausting  travel,  while  her  hands  indi¬ 
cated  a  lifetime  of  unremitting  toil,  was  lying  on  a  pile 
of  bedding,  evidently  sinking  with  the  weakness  of  fever. 
The  young  women  had  gathered  around  her  with  every 
delicacy  to  tempt  the  appetite,  while  a  fair  young  Mor¬ 
mon  girl  supported  the  sinking  head  on  her  bosom,  and 
presented  a  spoonful  of  ripe  peach  to  the  fevered  lips. 
The  dame  smiled,  while  tears  of  weakness  and  joy  ran 
from  her  eyes,  and  tried  again  and  again  to  eat  the  prof¬ 
fered  delicacy,  but  in  vain.  Nature  was  exhausted  by 
the  long  voyage.  The  eyes  that  had  so  long  and  eagerly 
looked  for  “  Zion,”  were  soon  to  be  dimmed,  and  the 
weary  feet  were  hastening  to  an  eternal  rest. 

In  the  universal  hilarity  that  prevailed,  the  Mormon 
girls  were  selecting  companions  from  the  arrivals,  and 


I 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


249 


taking  them  to  their  homes  for  a  few  days’  rest,  the 
travel-worn  and  dusty,  foreign-made  garments  contrast¬ 
ing  strangely  with  the  dress  of  the  young  Saints.  Fe¬ 
male  beauty  is  scarce  in  Utah.  One  occasionally  meets 
a  fine  looking  woman,  but  there  is  four-fold  the  beauty 
in  many  a  Gentile  town  of  1,000  inhabitants  that 
I  can  see  in  all  this  city.  Fine  forms  are  not  uncom¬ 
mon,  and  some  of  the  younger  women  are  quite  graceful 
in  carriage,  but  beauty  of  expression  is  rare,  and  the 
reason  is  obvious.  Facial  beauty  is  aesthetic,  the  result 
of  taste,  sensibility  and  cultivation,  and  at  least  a 
tolerable  elevation  of  the  moral  faculties.  It  will  not 
result  from  a  rude  and  coarse  existence.  Beauty  of 
the  form  is  more  purely  physical,  and  will  naturally 
spring  up  anywhere,  where  woman  is  not  abused  or 
overworked.  Given  a  certain  amount  of  fresh  air, 
moderate  exercise  and  healthy  food,  and  the  correct 
womanly  form  is  the  result.  But  beauty  of  the  features 
has  more  of  the  ideal ;  it  is  the  product  of  a  higher  tone 
of  the  mental  and  moral  nature,  and  other  things  being 
equal,  the  greatest  number  of  fine  faces  will  be  found 
in  a  virtuous  and  intelligent  community. 

The  men  were  of  the  same  brawny  and  red-faced 
foreign  type,  white  haired  boys,  and  simple  looking  old 
men,  which  every  western  man  has  so  often  seen ;  a 
low-browed,  stiff-haired,  ignorant  and  stolid  race.  In 
their  faces  could  be  seen  much  of  the  earnest,  sincere 
and  quiet ;  but  not  of  the  intellectual,  bright  or  quick 
of  comprehension.  Every  traveler  through  the  rural 
districts  of  Utah,  must  have  observed  that,  though 
individual  Saints  differ  somewhat,  as  other  people  do, 


250  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

yet  there  are  certain  peculiar  traits  common  to  all. 
One  of  these  is  their  almost  total  lack  of  the  humorous 
faculty  or  principle;  *  phrenologically  speaking,  they 
have  no  organ  of  wit  and  humor,  or  if  they  have  it  is 
so  uncultivated  that  it  is  practically  dormant. 

They  will  laugh  heartily  enough  at  a  broad  joke  or 
coarse  jest,  but  seem  quite  unable  to  appreciate  keen 
satire,  irony  or  delicate  wit,  or  to  perceive  the  ludicrous 
in  odd  associations  of  ideas.  The  Mormon  is  often 
terribly  in  earnest,  but  he  is  seldom  funny.  This  de¬ 
fect  is  partly  one  of  race,  partly  in  lack  of  cultivation, 
but  still  more  in  the  fact  that  few  people  who  can 
understand  and  appreciate  an  absurdity  would  ever 
become  Mormons.  Hence  we  rarely  see  among  them 
the  genial,  humorous  Irishman,  the  keen-witted  Israel¬ 
ite,  the  intellectual  Swiss,  or  the  lively  and  versatile 
Frenchman ;  but  in  their  stead  stolid  Saxons  and  plod¬ 
ding  Scandinavians.  Men  are,  to  a  great  extent,  born 
to  certain  forms  of  religious  belief ;  Boodhism  is  essen¬ 
tially  Mongolian,  Spiritism  is  of  the  Indian,  Moham¬ 
medanism  has  its  peculiar  subjects,  and  though  universal 
in  its  final  application,  the  present  spirit  and  structure 
of  Christianity  is  Gothic  and  European.  And  the  most 
gloomy  forms  of  error,  which  have  sprung  from  a 
corrupt  Christianity,  find  their  devotees  among  the 
most  solemnly  impressive  and  stolid  of  the  European 
races.  Old  residents  tell  me  that  Artemus  Ward’s 
lecture  in  Salt  Lake  was,  professionally  speaking,  a 
perfect  failure,  simply  because  it  was  “  cut  too  fine  ” 
for  the  latitude.  A  few  laughed  at  his  broadest  jokes, 
then  for  a  solid  hour,  while  he  was  doing  his  funniest, 


.  AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


251 


the  audience  sat  “  like  a  bump  on  a  log,”  not  giving  a 
smile.  It’s  a  wonder  it  did  not  kill  the  sensitive 
author.  Mdrmonism  might  originate  with  keen  witted 
Yankees,  but  it  could  not  long  continue  without  a 
broad  basis  of  the  North-European  races. 

These  new-comers  look  homely  enough,  but  it  is 
gratifying  to  observe  the  vast  improvement  even  in  the 
first  generation  of  the  native-born.  Whether  it  is  the 
climate,  or  better  food,  or  exemption  from  the  severe 
toil  of  the  poor  in  Europe,  most  of  the  young  girls  now 
“  coming  on  ”  in  Utah  exhibit  a  vast  personal  improve¬ 
ment  over  their  parents,  and  among  the  very  youngest, 
whose  families  have  been  here  for  twenty  years,  the 
little  misses  exhibit  promise  of  the  trim,  graceful  form, 
the  arched  instep  and  the  light  tripping  step  of  the 
American  girl.  There  are  many  drawbacks  in  the 
social  and  domestic  habits  of  “this  people,”  still  nature 
is  asserting  her  rights  to  some  extent.  She  demands 
beauty  in  the  female  form,  and  even  Mormonism  can¬ 
not  altogether  prevent  it.  4  Of  course,  the  younger 
generation  is  more  quick-witted  and  liberal,  hence  the 
majority  of  young  Mormons  are  free  thinkers  and  anti¬ 
polygamists.  It  is  the  old  story  of  the  hen  hatching 
swans,  the  vulture  doves,  or  the  caterpillar  giving  life 
to  the  brilliant  butterfly.  And  this  rapid  improvement 
is  notable  in  view  of  the  perils  of  young  life  in  Utah, 
lof  which,  more  anon. 

In  my  first  rambles  about  the  city  I  found  the  Mormons 
rather  communicative,  and  quite  ready  to  enlighten  me 
1  as  to  the  peculiar  features  of  their  faith ;  indeed,  rather 
I  anxious  to  prove  the  superiority  of  their  institutions 


252  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

over  those  of  the  Gentile  world.  Of  course,  like  all 
new  comers,  I  looked  upon  polygamy  as  the  one  great 
evil,  if  not  the  only  evil  of  Utah,  and  our  discussions 
most  often  turned  upon  that  point.  The  first  intelligent 
Mormon,  who  gave  me  his  views  at  length,  was  Mr. 
Victor  Cram,  educated  as  a  physician,  in  Boston,  but 
now  a  builder  in  Salt  Lake  City.  As  an  “  inside  view,” 
his  ideas  are  worthy  of  presentation  on  the  venerable 
principle,  Audi  alteram  'partem.  “We  have,”  said  he, 
“a  population  of  200,000,  three  times  the  population 
for  a  new  State,  and  have  had  for  years ;  but  they 
won’t  admit  us.  The  fact  is,  we  are  a  little  rebellious. 
This  law  of  1862  against  polygamy,  we  don’t  abide  by 
and  the  people  won’t  do  so  !  ” 

“And  what  do  you  think  will  be  the  result?”  I 
asked. 

“The  result?  Why,  it  will  be  good  when  people  get 
enlightened  on  this  point.  Then  polygamy  will  become 
popular  throughout  the  world.” 

“But  how  do  you  justify  it,  or  explain  this  ?” 

“  I  take  the  ground,  sir,  that  polygamy  was  absolutely 
necessary  to  purify  and  regenerate  mankind;  that  such 
was  the  tendency  that  in  no  long  time  the  world  would 
have  been  depopulated,  the  human  race  become  extinct, 
without  the  gracious  assistance  of  polygamy,  which  in¬ 
evitable  destiny  God  foresaw,  and  revealed  to  Joseph 
Smith  the  mode  of  prevention.” 

He  then  proceeded  in  a  lengthy  detail  of  the  causes 
which  were  operating  to  weaken  the  reproductive  force 
of  nature,  and  destroy  the  young  before  they  reached  a 
marriageable  age.  His  view's  were  unique  and  interest- 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


253 


ing,  but  suffice  it  to  say  that  lie  proved,  to  bis  own 
satisfaction  at  least,  that  the  human  race  was  slowly 
and  surely  tending  to  inevitable  decay  and  complete 
extinction,  through  the  violation  of  a  certain  inter-sexual 
law — which  violation  was  causing  a  decline  among 
women  and  their  offspring;  that  God  revealed  to  Jo¬ 
seph  Smith  the  means  of  cure,  which  necessitated  the 
employment  of  polygamy,  which  would  in  time  regen¬ 
erate  the  human  race,  and  restore  it  to  primal  strength 
and  beauty. 

“  But  how  comes  it,”  I  asked,  “  that  the  Caucasian 
races  have  gone  on  and  increased  for  three  thousand 
years  in  single  marriage  ?  ” 

.  “  Because  they  never  run  to  that  excess,  and  then 
this  new  way  of  killing  infants  before  they  saw  the 
light  was  not  known.  But  the  present  mode  of  living 
leads  to  excess,  and  America,  the  youngest  nation,  is 
going  to  lead  all  the  rest  in  that  excess ;  and  when  the 
old  nations  of  Europe  learn  these  new  tricks  and  get 
started  on  this  road,  they  will  go  like  a  flock  of  sheep, 
and  melt  from  the  face  of  the  earth ;  and  without  a 
radical  corrective  the  race  would  soon  be  extinct. 

“  Mind,  I  say,”  he  continued, 66  these  are  not  the  rea¬ 
sons  why  we  practice  polygamy.  We  do  it  solely  be¬ 
cause  God  commanded  it,  ‘  The  mouth  of  the  Lord  hath 
spoken  it,’  is  our  sole  and  only  warrant,  which  we  dare 
not  disobey  (!!) ;  but  these  are  merely  a  few  of  the  rea¬ 
sons  why  God  commanded  it,  as  we  think.  Or  to  throw 
aside  God’s  ordinance,  and  take  nature  for  it,  these  rea¬ 
sons  are  sufficient  to  show  why  polygamy  is  according 
to  the  law  and  light  of  nature ;  why  it  is  the  natural 


i. 


254  LIFE  IN  UTAH  ;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

order  of  things,  and  why  God’s  chosen  people  were  the 
offspring  of  polygamous  mothers.  Now,  I  took  my 
second  wife  only  last  year ;  my  circumstances  did  not 
enable  me  to  do  so  before,  and  the  good  effects  of  the 
arrangement  are  already  observable  in  my  house,  par¬ 
ticularly  in  the  son  of  my  second  wife,  which  is  a 
brighter,  healthier  and  stronger  child  than  either  of  my 
other  eight  children.  And  I  challenge  you  to  go  to  any 
of  our  schools,  and  pick  out  at  random  a  dozen  children 
of  polygamous  mothers,  and  then  say  on  your  honor  if 
they  are  not  superior  to  the  average  children  of  single 
marriages.” 

This  seemed  like  a  bold  offer,  but  one  finds  in  time 
that  the  Saints  are  very  much  given  to  the  “  bluff” 
game ;  nor  will  it  be  thought  strange  that  they  are  not 
the  only  people  who  excuse  their  own  sins  by  pointing 
out  those  of  others. 

Without  attempting  to  controvert  his  views,  I  ac¬ 
cepted  the  loan  of  copies  of  the  “  Book  of  Mormon,” 
u  Millennial  Star,”  and  “  Doctrine  and  Covenants,” 
which  I  promised  to  read  at  my  earliest  leisure. 

My  first  Sabbath  in  Salt  Lake  was  bright  and  clear, 
and  I  determined  on  a  visit  to  the  Tabernacle.  The 
early  morning  I  devoted  to  the  u Book  of  Mormon;”  but 
two  hours  more  than  satisfied  me.  Of  all  the  dull, 
wearisome  and  inconsequential  books  I  ever  dosed  over, 
I  am  qualified  to  say  that  work  takes  the  lead.  It  is 
verbose,  diffuse  and  full  of  repetitions;  about  the  size  of 
the  Old  Testament,  every  material  fact  in  it  could  be 
compressed  within  the  limits  of  a  Tribune  Almanac. 
The  Saints  aver  that  it  was  composed  by  the  angel  Mo- 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


255 


roni  and  delivered  to  Joseph  Smith.  If  so,  1  am  sorry 
for  Moroni,  sorry  that  there  were  no  grammars  or  “  aids 
to  composition”  in  his  “ sphere,”  that  he  might  have 
given  us  a  work  somewhat  worthy  of  criticism.  The 
anti-Mormons,  and  a  certain  widow  Davidson,  now  resi¬ 
dent  in  New  York,  aver  that  it  was  written  by  her  first 
husband,  Solomon  Spaulding,  an  invalid  clergyman, 
merely  for  his  own  amusement.  If  so,  he  was  easily 
amused.  I  sincerely  hope,  for  the  honor  of  her  husband, 
that  the  good  woman  is  mistaken,  for  if  any  scholar  as¬ 
sisted  in  the  production  of  that  work,  he  must  have  been 
very  invalid,  in  mind  as  well  as  body.  I  can  understand 
how  some  people  admire  M.  F.  T upper;  I  can  even,  in 
a  dim,  far-off  way,  appreciate  those  who  appreciate  John 
Tyler  Junior;  but  that  men  of  even  average  intelligence 
should  discover  literary  excellence,  divine  philosophy  or 
spiritual  comfort  in  the  “Book  of  Mormon,”  is  beyond 
my  powers. 

That  a  quarter  of  a  million  of  the  human  race  should 
be  led  to  stake  their  hopes  for  eternity  on  the  divine  au¬ 
thenticity  of  such  a  work,  is  one  of  the  most  melancholy 
evidences  of  the  inherent  weakness  of  the  human  intel¬ 
lect. 

Service  was  held  in  the  New  Tabernacle  which  will 

i 

seat  eight  or  ten  thousand  people,  but  is  quite  a  failure 
as  far  as  hearing  is  concerned.  The  interior  being  a 
perfect  oval,  those  in  that  portion  nearest  the  stand  and 
in  the  end  farthest  from  it  can  hear  quite  well,  while  all 
is  confused  and  indistinct  in  the  central  area,  which  in¬ 
cludes  nearly  half  the  room.  A  canopy,  or  flat,  some 
twenty  feet  square  had  been  erected  over  the  speakers 


256  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

stand  to  serve  as  a  sounding  board,  but  helped  the  matter 
very  little. 

Brigham  does  not  preach  oftener  than  once  or  twice 
a  month,  and  did  not  favor  us  with  his  presence  this 
morning;  his  brother,  Joseph  Young,  preached  the 
opening  sermon,  and  I  have  no  hesitation  in  pronounc¬ 
ing  him  the  most  inferior-looking  man  I  ever  saw  in  the 
pulpit,  and  I  have  seen  some  hard  specimens.  He  is 
very  old,  very  thin,  very  weak-eyed,  and  rather  sallow ; 
his  general  appearance  suggested  that  he  had  just  slept 
a  month,  been  awakened  by  a  thunder-storm  and  come 
away  without  changing  his  clothes,  washed  in  a  mud- 
puddle,  and  combed  his  hair  by  crawling  through  the 
sage  brush.  And  yet,  he  has  four,  wives.  Let  the 
homely  take  courage.  The  distinctive  feature  in  Mor¬ 
mon  sermons  is  their  exceedingly  rambling  and  discur¬ 
sive  nature ;  touching  here,  there  and  everywhere,  on 
everything  which  concerns  man’s  moral,  spiritual  and 
material  interests.  The  peculiar  baldness  of  their  style 
is  made  ten-fold  more  apparent  by  the  homely  words 
and  phrases  in  which  it  is  couched.  Hints  on  stock 
raising,  digging  ditches,  building  fences  and  making 
“  dobies,”  slip  into  the  midst  of  moral  disquisitions  on 
“  the  whole  duty  of  man.” 

I  could  not  discover  what  was  the  special  subject  of 
Joseph  Young’s  remarks;  he  took  no  text,  as  they 
usually  do  not,  and  fired  away  at  all  the  sins  of  the  con¬ 
gregation  very  much  on  the  “  Donnybrook  Fair  ”  prin¬ 
ciple.  Before  beginning  his  sermon  proper,  he  called 
for  general  news  from  any  of  the  settlements,  gave  a 
list  of  foreign  letters  which  had  arrived,  and  called  for 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM 


257 


all  returned  missionaries  to  come  into  the  stand  and 
“  give  in  their  experience.”  No  one  responding,  he 
commenced  by  stating  that  “  man  was  a  moral  being 
enlarged  on  the  troubles  of  the  Saints ;  confessed  his 
ignorance  of  the  reason  why  these  things  were  so,  and 
began  to  “  score  ”  the  young  men  for  laziness  and  bad 
habits  generally.  From  this  he  branched  off  to  the  neces¬ 
sity  of  giving  liberally  to  aid  the  poor  Saints  in  Europe 
to  reach  Utah  :  “  They  ought  to  come,  the  Saints  ought 
all  to  be  here,  for  the  devil  is  watching  where  they  are 
to  take  the  spirit  out  of  their  minds,  and  they  ought  to 
come  here,  and  be  treated  with  brotherly  love.  But 
there  is  too  much  stubbornness  here ;  the  brethren  are 
all  stubborn.  The  sisters  are  not  quite  so  stubborn.” 

This  last  was  news  to  me ;  but  he  went  on  to  prove 
it  by  a  philosophical  disquisition  on  the  peculiar  differ¬ 
ence  between  the  masculine  and  feminine  minds,  which 
seemed  about  an  equal  mixture  of  the  ideas  of  Plato, 
Tennyson  and  Professor  Fowler,  and  to  have  about  as 
much  relation  to  the  subject  in  hand,  as  it  had  to  the 
next  Presidential  election.  He  went  on  : 

66  Now  some  of  you  old  men  that  come  here  early,  feel 
very  much  broke  down.  You’re  all  stiff  and  crippled 
up,  and  here’s  a  lot  of  ‘  young  sprouts,’  as  I  call  ’em, 
who’ll  hardly  work  at  all.  I  tell  you  young  fellows,  it 
won’t  do.  You’ve  got  to  stir  around  and  labor  more. 
And  these  young  fellows  are  so  strong.  Why,  they  are 
as  elastic  as  the  rabbits  on  yon  mountain  !  While  lots 
of  these  old  men  can’t  stoop  down  to  pick  up  a  hoe.  I 
tell  you,  as  I  told  my  folks  this  morning,  just  after 
family  prayer,  you  want  knowledge  of  how  to  live  in 
17 


258  LIFE  IN  UTAH  ;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

this  world.  Take  care  of  your  bodies  !  Don’t  eat  so 
much  of  this  green  stuff! !  Keep  your  stomachs  clean  ! ! ! 
And  some  of  you  men  are  so  very  inconsistent — in  fact, 
I’m  inconsistent  myself  sometimes.  To  ask  God  for 
health,  and  not  take  care  of  it.  Why  do  you  ask  God 
for  such  a  thing?  Why,  that’s  your  own  business. 
God  says,  ‘go  ahead,  and  take  care  of  your  stomachs 
and  body,  and  I’ll  guarantee  the  rest.’  One  thing  I’ve 
noticed  here  so  much ;  nearly  everybody  dies  so  sudden, 
and  the  old  people  who  have  died  lately,  almost  seem 
as  if  they  had  just  dropped  dead.  We  have  no  linger¬ 
ing  diseases  among  us.  Come  to  meeting  in  the  right 
spirit,  and  act  in  brotherly  love  and  sisterly  kindness. 
And  finally,  may  God  bless  you  all,  brethren  and  sis¬ 
ters,  is  my  prayer,  for  Jesus’  sake.  Amen.” 

He  was  followed  by  Elder  Wilford  Woodruff,  who 
gave  a  rather  able  and  connected  address  on  the  dan¬ 
gers  of  internal  dissensions  in  states,  nations,  churches 
and  families ;  after  which  the  choir  sang,  “  Come  let  us 

t 

anew  our  journey  pursue,”  with  great  force  and  beauty, 
and  the  meeting  adjourned. 

In  their  mode  of  conducting  prayer,  singing  and 
other  services,  the  Saints  follow  the  Methodist  order ; 
they  however,  stand  at  prayer,  but  forbid,  written 
sermons ;  they  have  “  experience  meetings  ”  and  take 
the  sacrament  every  Sunday,  excluding,  of  course,  all 
but  their  own  people ;  and  finally,  they  immerse,  re¬ 
peating  it  after  every  “  backsliding,”  interpret  the 
Scriptures  literally,  preach  long  and  loud  of  “one 
Lord,  one  faith,  one  baptism,”  stigmatize  all  others  as 
“  sectarians,”  and  in  their  initial  principles  follow  the 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM 


259 


Campbellites.  My  second  Sunday  in  Salt  Lake,  I 
heard  Orson  Pratt  deliver  a  rather  learned  discourse  on 
the  various  temples  erected  by  66  the  Lord’s  peculiar 
people,”  embodying  the  idea  that  the  last  and  most 
glorious  one  was  to  be  that  of  the  Latter-day  Saints,  to 
be  set  up  in  Jackson  County,  Missouri,  “when  the 
fulness  of  time  had  come.” 

At  the  end  of  two  weeks  in  Salt  Lake  City  my  impres¬ 
sions  are,  on  the  whole,  rather  favorable.  I  find  the 
city  quiet,  apparently  in  good  order,  neat  and  pleasant 
to  dwell  in ;  though  the  people  are  mostly  ignorant  and 
bigoted,  they  did  not  appear  contentious ;  I  had  been 
treated  with  considerable  courtesy,  and  began  to  con¬ 
clude  the  Mormons  had  been  maligned,  and  often  held 
long  arguments  in  favor  of  those  whom  I  suspected  to 
be  a  much  misrepresented  and  persecuted  people.  I 
had  yet  much  to  learn. 


HOT  SPRINGS  NEAR  SALT  LAKE  CITY 


260 


LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 


CHAPTER  X. 

TRIP  TO  BEAR  RIYER  AND  RETURN. 

Northward  afoot  —  Hot  Springs  —  “  Sessions  Settlement  ”  —  Polygamy 
again — “Ephe  Roberts’  young  wife” — Farmington— Kaysville — Three 
wives,  and  stone  walls  between — “Let  us  have  Peace” — Red  Sand 
Ridge — Ogden — Brigham  City — Into  the  Poor  District — Scandinavian 
Porridge — English  cookery — Rural  life  in  Utah— Bear  River,  North- 
Cache  Valley  and  the  Canon — “Professor”  Barker,  the  “  Mad  Philoso¬ 
pher  ” — A  New  Cosmogony— Mormon  Science — “Celestial  Masonry” 
— “Adam”  redivivus — A  Modern  “Eve” — Folly  and  Fanaticism — 
Mineral  Springs — The  country  vs.  the  city  Mormon. 


Fine  weather  was  running  to  waste,  and  I  had  seen 
nothing  of  Utah  outside  the  city ;  so  on  the  afternoon  of 
September  the  25th,  I  threw  a  few  pounds  of  crackers, 
dried  beef,  sugar  and  tea  into  my  valise,  to  serve  in  case 
I  should  get  beyond  the  settlements,  and  took  my  way 
northward  on  foot,  determined  to  see  Mormondom  in  its 
rural  aspects.  The  nearest  point  on  the  Great  Salt 
Lake  is  about  twelve  miles  from  the  city,  and  this  road 
nowhere  approaches  it  nearer  than  two  miles,  but  runs 
due  north ;  with  the  W asatch  mountains  to  the  east  and 
the  lake  to  the  west,  leaving  a  valley  with  an  average 
width  of  five  miles.  My  route  led  me  by  the  Warm 
Springs,  already  mentioned  ;  three  miles  farther  there  is 
another  known  as  the  Hot  Springs,  from  being  twenty- 
six  degrees  higher  in  temperature  than  the  former.  A 
stream  of  scalding  water  as  large  as  a  man’s  body  boils 


Cr^T^MT?  AAT  mTTTl 


\i 

AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM.  261 

out  of  a  rock  at  the  foot  of  the  mountain,  forms  a  hot 
pool  two  or  three  rods  in  circuit,  whence  the  branch 
runs  across  the  road,  and  westward  into  Hot  Spring 
Lake.  These  springs  will  be  more  fully  described  in 
another  place. 

The  sun  was  near  the  horizon  when  I  reached  the 
highest  point  on  the  road,  the  sky  which  had  been  hazy 
all  day  became  clear,  and  glancing  back  towards  the 
city  I  saw  her  light  colored  dwellings  and  green  gardens 
glistening  in  the  evening  sunlight,  reminding  one 
strangely  of  pictures  of  Oriental  Scenes,  while  the  gray 
peaks  to  the  east,  the  blue  mountains  to  the  southwest 
and  the  Lake  Island  hills  combined  to  form  a  grand 
circle  of  beauty  surrounding  the  modern  “  Zion.”  Seated 
on  a  projecting  rock  above  the  road,  as  the  sun  sank 
slowly  behind  the  islands,  I  tried  again  and  again  to 
convey  some  description  of  the  scene  to  paper,  and  as 
often  dropped  book  and  pencil  with  a  mixture  of  delight 

I  and  despair. 

Ten  miles  out  brought  me  to  Sessions  Settlement, 
sometimes  called  Bountiful,  where  I  spent  the  night  at 
■the  house  of  Mr.  Perry  Green  Sessions,  a  Mormon  elder 
i  and  returned  missionary,  who  entertained  me  with  some 
>:  account  of  his  experience  in  England  and  the  Eastern 
<  States  “  while  laboring  to  build  up  Zion  among  those 
i,  that  are  in  darkness.” 

From  there,  I  continued  my  journey  along  the  stage 
I  road,  now  along  the  base  of  the  mountains  where  cold 
I  springs  break  in  jets  out  of  the  rocks,  and  again  far  out 
in  the  valley  among  corn  and  cane  fields,  or  amid  dwel¬ 
lings  surrounded  by  peach  orchards,  where  the  trees 


v 


262 


LIFE  IN  UTAH  ;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 


were  breaking  under  the  load  of  ripening  fruit,  a  sight 
I  had  not  seen  for  many  years.  A  larger  and  finer  or¬ 
chard  than  ordinary  attracted  my  attention,  and,  as  the 
gate  stood  invitingly  open,  I  walked  forward  to  where 
two  women  sat  beneath  a  tree  preparing  fruit  for  drying, 
and  proposed  to  purchase  a  dozen  or  two  of  peaches. 
Fruit  in  plenty  was  offered  and  all  pay  refused,  and 
while  I  took  a  proffered  seat,  the  younger  lady,  a  bright, 
lively,  voluble  woman,  entered  at  once  into  conversa¬ 
tion  by  asking  what  State  I  had  come  from. 

✓ 

“  How  do  you  know  I  am  not  a  Utah  man?”  I  asked. 
“  Oh,  I  knowed  you  was  a  Gentile  the  minute  you 
stepped  in  at  the  gate,  and  you  bet  everybody  knows  it 
the  minute  they  see  you,”  was  the  reply. 

F urther  conversation  showed  that  the  lady  had  quite 
a  history.  She  told  me  her  father  came  to  Salt  Lake 
City  twenty-one  years  ago,  and  she  was  the  third  white 
child  born  in  the  place. 

“  But  I  could  n’t  see  it  in  my  way  to  marry  a  Saint, 
not  much ;  though  I  was  raised  to  believe  in  it,  and  do 
believe  in  the  religion  all  but  that.” 

Is  your  father  a  Mormon  ?  ”  I  ventured  to  ask. 

Oh,  yes,  and  got  four  women ;  only  one  wife,  mind 
you,  that ’s  my  mother ;  but  four  women  who  call  them¬ 
selves  his  wives.  I  never  was  raised  to  know  anything 
else,  but  when  I  was  nineteen  father  married  me  to  a 
Gentile,  ’cause  he  could  n’t  help  himself,  I  reckon.  My 
husband  was  raised  next  door  to  me,  and  went  to  Cali¬ 
fornia  and  stayed  five  years,  and  soon  as  he  come  back 
we  was  married.  I’d  a  stayed  an  old  maid  a  thousand 
years  before  I ’d  take  a  pluralist.  Plurality ’s  all  well 


u 


u 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


263 


enough  for  the  men,  but  common  sense  shows  that  it 
don’t  suit  women/’ 

“  Why,  then,  do  some  of  them  hold  up  for  it  ?  ” 

“  Well,  they  think  they  must  to  get  salvation  ;  it’s  a 
part  of  their  religion,  and  sometimes  they  get  along 
pretty  well.  We  never  had  any  trouble  in  father’s 
family.  The  children  all  growed  up  just  like  brothers 
and  sisters,  and  treated  each  other  so.  Father  always 
taught  me  to  respect  his  other  women,  and  I  always 
did  so. 

“Blit,  law,  I’ve  seen  such  sights  in  other  families. 
Why,  I’ve  seen  our  neighbor’s  women  just  pull  the  hair 
right  out  of  each  other’s  heads.  There’s  so  many  men 
when  they  get  a  young  wife,  will  let  her  abuse  the  old 
one,  and  encourage  her  to  do  it. 

“I’ve  seen  the  man  stand  by,  and  say,  ‘  Go  in, 
kill  her,  if  you  can.’  Now,  there  is  Ephe.  Roberts, 
right  over  there,” — pointing  to  a  stone  house  near  the 
mountain, — “he  brought  a  real  young  delicate  wife  from 
New  York,  now  goin’  on  sixteen  years  ago,  and  she 
worked  awful  hard,  I  tell  you ;  why,  I’ve  known  her 
to  do  all  her  own  work  when  Ephe.  had  three  hands 

JL. 

and  the  threshin’  machine  at  his  house,  and  sometimes 
she  worked  out  in  the  field,  hound  wheat  and  raked 
hay,  which,  you  know,  is  awful  hard  on  a  delicate  New 
York  woman — ’taint  as  if  she  been  raised  to  it,  like  we 
folks,  and  after  all,  just  last  year,  Ephe.  went  and  mar¬ 
ried  another  woman,  a  real  young  one,  not  over  twenty, 
and,  don’t  you  think,  this  spring  she  knocked  Maria — 
that’s  his  first  wife — down  with  the  churn-dasher,  and 
scalded  her.  Ephe.  stood  by,  and  just  said,  go  in  Luce ; 


264  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

kill  her,  if  you  can  !  ’  It  all  started  about  a  churn ,  too. 
Both  wanted  to  use  it  at  once.  Maria  had  it,  and  her 
butter  was  a  little  slow  a  cornin’,  and  they  got  mad, 
and  Luce  struck  her,  and  then  snatched  the  kettle  right 
off  the  stove,  and  then  poured  hot  water  on  her  feet, 
so  she  fell  down  when  she  tried  to  run  out.  And  what 
was  the  result,  finally?  Well,  Maria  left  him;  of 
course,  she  had  to,  or  be  killed.  It’s  very  nice,  though, 
for  the  men.  I  had  a  dozen  chances  to  marry  old 
Mormons,  but  law  !  I  wouldn’t  give  that  for  all  of  ’em. 
Why,  just  turn  things  round,  and  let  a  woman  have 
two  or  three  men,  and  see  how  they’d  like  that!  There 
wouldn’t  be  no  murderin’  done  in  these  parts,  oh,  no ! 
And,  I  reckon,  a  woman  has  as  fine  feelin’s  as  a  man. 
I  tell  you,  if  my  husband  ever  joins  ’em,  or  tries  to  get 
another  wife,  that  day  I’ll  hunt  another  Gentile ;  you 
bet !  ”  The  testimony  of  “this  witness,”  professionally 
speaking,  was  certainly  plain ;  nor  did  she  trouble  me 
to  cross-examine,  but  gave  her  views  freely.  I  note 
one  singular  fact  in  all  similar  cases :  During  a  long 
residence  in  Utah  I  have  never  in  a  single  instance 
talked  ten  minutes  with  a  young  lady  of  polygamous 
family,  that  did  not  manage  in  some  way  to  tell  me, 
she  was  the  daughter  of  the  first ,  or  legal  wife ,  if  such 
was  the  case.  If  silent  on  that  point,  it  may  safely 
be  presumed  they  are  of  polygamous  mothers.  And 
in  more  than  one  instance,  I  have  known  them  to 
falsely  claim  legitimate  birth. 

From  this  “apostate’s”  I  journeyed  on  to  Farming- 
ton,  eighteen  miles  north  of  the  city,  a  beautiful  town 
and  settlement  of  some  two  thousand  inhabitants ;  the 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


265 


residence  of  the  Mormon  hero,  Lot  Smith,  who  com¬ 
manded  their  guerilla  force  at  the  time  it  confronted 
Johnston’s  army  in  Echo  Canon,  burned  his  wagons 
and  drove  off  his  cattle. 

I  spent  the  night  with  a  well-to-do  Mormon  who  oc¬ 
cupied  a  long,  one-story,  stone  house,  divided  into  three 
large  rooms,  with  a  kitchen  in  the  rear  of  each ;  each 
room  was  occupied  by  one  of  his  three  wives  and  her 
children.  He  seemed  to  be.  living  at  the  time  with  the 
middle  one,  where  we  took  supper.  The  partition  walls 
must  have  been  two  feet  thick,  without  any  communi¬ 
cation,  each  wife  with  her  progeny  keeping  strictly  to 
her  own  department.  He  was  doubtless  a  “  Grant 
man his  motto  seemed  to  be  “  Let  us  have  peace.” 
A  “  constitutional  ”  the  next  morning  brought  me  to 
the  next  settlement,  Kaysville  by  name,  where  I  took 
breakfast  with  a  Gentile  who  had  a  Mormon  wife.  He 
was  a  Missourian  some  fifty  years  old,  and  belonged  to 
the  Church,  he  told  me,  ten  or  fifteen  years  ago,  but, 
was  “  dis-fellowshiped  for  not  payin’  tithes.” 

He  talked  quite  earnestly  when  he  found  I  was  from 
the  States,  and  gave  his  views  on  the  entire  subject 
without  troubling  me  to  ask  a  question.  “I  never 
heard  in  my  life,”  said  he,  “that  Christ  and  his  Apos¬ 
tles  rode  around  the  country  in  a  fine  carriage  with  two- 
span  o’  gray  hosses,  and  made  the  people  turn  out  pro¬ 
vision  enough  to  keep  him  up,  as  we’ve  had  to  do  for 
the  bishop  here.  Brigham  Young  pretends  to  be  His 
successor,  and  at  the  same  time  makes  his  brags  that 
he  never  touches  anything  he  don’t  make  money  outen. 
Now,  just  look  at  that  Deseret  Telegraph  line.  He  liadi 


266 


LIFE  IN  UTAH;  Oil,  THE  MYSTERIES 


all  the  people  pay  tithes  and  make  donations  for  it, 
sayin’  it  would  be  such  a  nice  thing  for  the  people,  and 
every  settlement  had  to  furnish  a  certain  number  o’ 
poles;  and  now  they’ll  charge  you  five  dollars  for  sendin’ 
ten  words,  be  you  Sainf  or  Gentile.  And  here  after 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM.  267 

| 

all,  lie’s  round  makin’  every  Saint,  the  poorest  ov  ’em, 
give  so  much  to  help  pay  these  operators  that  come 
down  to  teach  the  girls  along  through  the  Territory, 
how  to  work  the  wires.  Now,  what  comes  o’  that 
money  ?  it  goes  into  Brigham’s  pockets.  But,  pshaw, 
these  people  won’t  listen  to  you.  Can’t  make  my  wife 
believe  a  word  o’  that.” 

The  good  woman  retorted  with  a  wordy  defence  of 
the  Church  and  the  Prophet,  averring  her  firm  belief  in 
everything  Mormon,  to  which  the  husband  listened 
with  a  dry  quizzical  smile,  and  finally  remarked  : 
“  Well,  p’raps  I  had  better  go  back.  Guess  I  will ,  and 
git  me  another  wife.  Like  dernation  well  to  have  a 
nice,  trim,  young  creatur  about  twenty-five.” 

The  wife,  whose  waist  was  after  the  pattern  of  a  rum 
barrel,  and  her  feet  models  for  a  patent  brick  machine, 
reddened  a  little  and  was  silent.  I  think  he  will  con¬ 
vert  her  yet. 

The  Deseret  Telegraph  line  to  which  he  referred, 
follows  this  road  to  the  northern  boundary  of  the 
Territory,  and  south  of  the  city  extends  nearly  to 
Arizona,  with  side  branches  connecting  all  the  detached 
settlements;  the  wires  center  in  Brigham  Young’s 
loffice,  and  thus  at  a  moment’s  notice  he  can  send  a 
warning,  of  danger  to  five-sixths  of  his  people,  and  in 
twenty-four  hours’  time  the  most  isolated  settlers  could 
be  ready  to  move.  Whether  for  good  or  bad  purposes, 
;it  is  a  remarkable  monument  of  Mormon  enterprise.  I 
had  intended  to  keep  the  Sabbath  at  this  point,  but 
falling  in  with  a  farmer  returning  to  Cache  Yalley 
from  the  city,  I  rode  some  twelve  miles  with  him, 


268 


LIFE  IN  UTAH  ;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 


passing  over  the  Red  Sand  Desert.  This  is  a  ridged 
piece  of  land  jutting  out  from  near  the  mouth  of 
Weber  Canon,  towards  the  lake,  about  ten  miles  long 
and  eight  wide,  and  too  high  for  ordinary  irrigation. 
Most  of  the  land  north  of  the  city  has  one  general 
character,  a  mixture  of  gravel  and  loam,  or  of  fine  red 
sand  and  66  dobie  earth,”  a  peculiar  whitish  clay ;  in  its 
natural  state  it  is  as  barren  as  any  part  of  the  plains. 

A  piece  of  land  is  worthless  unless  water  can  be 
brought  upon  it ;  but  with  irrigation  it  produces  equally 
with  any  soil  in  the  world.  Leaving  the  ridge  we 
descend  into  Weber  Valley,  and  in  five  miles  r^ach  the 
city  of  Ogden,  the  most  important  in  northern  Utah ; 
containing  with  its  vicinity  a  population  of  three  or 
four  thousand,  and  now  the  point  of  junction  of  the 
Union  Pacific,  Central  Pacific  and  Utah  Central  (Brig¬ 
ham’s)  Railroads.  Thence  two  day’s  sauntering,  twenty- 
two  miles,  brings  me  through  Willard  settlement  to 
Brigham  City,  some  sixty  miles  north  of  Salt  Lake 
City.  This  is  the  county  seat  of  Box  Elder  Co.,  which 
contains  at  present  a  Gentile  population  of  at  least  a 
thousand. 

It  has  a  beautiful  location  at  the  foot  of  the  Wasatch, 
at  the  mouth  of  a  canon,  which  sends  out  a  large 
stream  of  pure,  clear  water,  and  a  little  northeast  of 
the  head  of  Bear  River  Bay,  the  northeastern  projec¬ 
tion  of  Great  Salt  Lake.  From  Brigham  City,  north¬ 
ward,  the  valley  of  Salt  Lake  shows  much  less  sign  of 
cultivation  and  settlement  than  below  that  point. 
Peach  orchards  entirely  disappear,  apple-trees  and 
grape  vines  are  quite  rare,  stone-houses  and  stucco- 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


269 


finished  “  dobies  ”  are  seen  no  more,  and  their  place  is 
filled  by  rude  log-cabins,  with  a  very  uninviting  ex¬ 
terior  and  interior  not  over  clean,  inhabited  mostly  by 
Welsh,  Danes  and  Swedes. 

The  English  inhabitants  of  the  valley  live  quite  well, 
nearly  as  well  as  the  corresponding  class  in  our  Western 
States,  though  I  have  visited  no  part  of  America  where 
I  found  them  so  entirely  English  in  dialect  and  manner 
as  here.  Taking  my  meal$  wherever  the  hour  over¬ 
took  me,  I  have  found  rich  brown  coffee,  golden  butter 
and  light  white  bread  in  company  with  the  broad  Eng¬ 
lish  accent,  and  have  learned  to  associate  the  6i  hex- 
asperated  haitch,”  with  ’igh  ’opes  for  a  ’ungry  man. 

But  if  I  stepped  into  a  cabin  and  heard  the  Welsh 
or  Danish  guttural,  I  asked  some  trivial  favor  and  passed 
on  to  the  Britons,  whom  I  consider  the  best  part  of  the 
i  Mormon  people.  A  traveler  should  not  be  an  epicure, 
but  I  acknowledge  a  weakness  in  that  respect,  and 

i  while  I  had  that  glorious  appetite,  I  hated  to  waste  it 

■ 

on  the  suspicious  looking  porridge,  which  is  a  standing 
dish  among  the  Scandinavian  Saints. 

A  few  of  the  American  Mormons  come  up  to  the 
English  standard,  but  in  the  country  the  majority  fall 
below  it ;  they  constitute,  however,  so  small  a  part  of 
these  people,  that  I  do  not  stop  with  them  one  time  in 
five.  They  are  nearly  all  from  New  York  and  Penn¬ 
sylvania,  and  belong  to  the  original  sect,  all  the  late 
converts  being  foreigners.  I  see  no  Western  people 
among  them  to  speak  of.  I  met  one  middle  aged  lady 
from  Greene  County,  Indiana,  and  when  she  learned  I 
was  from  Parke  County,  adjoining,  she  was  quite  over- 


270 


LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 


come,  got  me  up  the  best  breakfast  the  cabin  afforded, 
and  talked  and  cried  alternately  while  I  was  eating  it. 
Her  parents  joined  the  Mormons  while  she  was  a  young 
woman,  and  she  has  heard  from  her  old  home  but  three 
or  four  times  since. 

That  region  was  attracting  considerable  interest,  as 
the  probable  site  of  the  “  great  central  city  of  the  fu¬ 
ture,”  the  town  on  the  railroad  which  was  to  be,  the 
most  convenient  spot  for  staging  and  freighting  to  Mon¬ 
tana,  Idaho,  Oregon  and  Washington,  which  would 
doubtless  be  a  city  of  great  and  permanent  importance. 
But  the  railroad  was  yet  four  hundred  miles  distant 
and  the  location  of  the  future  city  in  great  doubt. 
Many  thought  it  would  be  at  the  last  crossing  on  Weber 
River,  while  others  were  equally  sanguine  it  would  be 
in  Curlew  Yalley,  a  hundred  miles  west  of  Bear  River. 
Meanwhile,  work  was  pushed  forward  rapidly;  the 
Union  Pacific  Company  had  just  let  contracts  for  a 
hundred  miles  of  grading  north  of  the  lake,  teams  were 
passing  that  way  in  considerable  numbers,  and  graders’ 
camps  were  thick  along  the  route. 

At  the  north  crossing  of  Bear  River  I  found  a  “  home 
station”  of  Wells,  Fargo  &  Co.’s  stages,  where  their 
branch  line  to  Boise  City  and  into  Oregon  takes  its 
start ;  also  a  fine  hotel,  bridge,  store,  and  quite  a  little 
village.  A  few  miles  above,  Bear  River,  which  has  run 
around  a  long  U  of  three  hundred  miles  from  its  source 
in  eastern  Utah,  “  canyons  ”  downward  a  thousand  feet 
in  three  miles,  out  of  Cache  into  Bear  River  Yalley. 

Seventy  miles  up  the  river,  in  Idaho,  are  the  noted 
Soda  Springs ;  near  them  Camp  Connor  and  a  small 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


271 


settlement  of  “  Morrisites,”  a  sect  of  recusant  Mormons, 
a  little  more  crazy  than  the  rest,  but  not  quite  so  mean, 
who  sought  the  shelter  of  the  military  in  their  escape 
from  Brighamism. 

My  return  trip  from  Bear  River  was  varied  by  two 
incidents  worthy  of  special  mention — a  visit  to  the 
Mineral  Springs  and  an  interview  with  the  “  mad 
philosopher”  of  Utah.  This  eccentric  genius  merits 
more  than  a  passing  notice.  His  name  is  J.  W.  Barker, 
generally  called  “  Professor,”  an  Englishman  by  birth, 
who  came  to  this  country  fourteen  years  ago  with  a 
Mormon  party.  He  claimed  to  have  discovered  the 
primitive  laws,  which  govern  the  whole  material  uni¬ 
verse,  and  that,  in  time,  he  would  refute  all  the  theories 
of  such  philosophers  as  Newton,  La  Place,  and  Descartes, 
from  whom  he  dissented  in  toto.  True  to  his  convic¬ 
tions,  as  soon  as  he  had  his  family  comfortably  settled, 
be  fell  to  work  investigating,  collecting  facts,  analyzing 
and  arranging  specimens,  and  writing  the  principia  of 
bis  great  work,  the  “  Magna’  Charta  of  Universal 
Science,”  which  was  to  annihilate  all  our  present  ideas 
of  gravity,  light,  and  momentum,  and  usher  in  the 
scientific  millennium,  at  the  same  time  with  the  moral 
regeneration  of  mankind. 

j  For  ten  long,  weary  years,  he  has  devoted  every  hour, 
oeyond  those  requisite  for  obtaining  the  bare  necessaries 
if  life,  to  this  research.  He  has  traveled  hundreds  of 
niles  among  the  mines  and  canons,  digging  into  drift, 
vash  dirt,  gravel,  quartz,  and  gold  gulch  and  bar,  till 
le  is  known  to  the  miners  from  Montana  to  Salt  Lake. 
NTight  after  night  he  has  watched  the  moon  and  stars, 


272 


LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERT£S 

and  calculated  the  slightest  changes  of  the  atmosphere 
and  mist,  and  every  observation  has  been  faithfully  re¬ 
corded,  and  assigned  to  its  proper  cause,  in  his  new 
classification  of  principles.  Being  an  unlettered  man, 
whose  only  knowledge  of  geology  was  gained  as  an 
English  miner,  he  has  worked  his  way  against  diffi¬ 
culties  which  would  have  daunted  any  but  a  half-mad 
•  enthusiast;  has  surrounded  himself  with  dictionaries  and 
lexicons  of  science,  and  hammered  his  way  into  the 
first  principles  of  more  than  one  language,  by  the  most 
exhaustive  labor.  I  found  the  u  Professor  ”  in  a  moun¬ 
tain  nook  which  might  well  excuse  a  man  for  going 
mad  over  the  works  of  nature. 

Directly  fronting  his  house,  three  majestic  gray  peaks 
of  the  Wasatch  range  rise  a  mile  above  the  level  plain, 
while  a  short  distance  in  the  rear  of  his  farm  spread  the 
azure  waters  of  the  Salt  Lake,  beyond  which  is  the  blue 
line  of  the  mountains  on  the  promontory. 

His  painfully  thin  and  gaunt  appearance  showed  that 
he  had  hung  over  his  books  and  burned  the  midnight 
oil  till  the  vital  frame  had  shrunk ;  but  his  manner  was 
earnest  and  his  voice  firm,  while  the  corded  muscles 

an  ounce  of  fat,  and  seemed 
to  run  over  the  bones  like  the  wire  pulleys  of  a  metal 
clock.  He  conversed  pleasantly  and  quite  intelligently 
on  various  topics,  till  glancing  at  the  mountain  peaks  I 
remarked  that  they  must  have  been  thrown  up  by  some 
great  convulsion  of  nature;  then  his  eyes  lighted  with  a 
strange  fire  as  he  hastily  replied  :  “  They  certainly  were 
not  thrown  up ;  they  were  thrown  down.”  Then  hold¬ 
ing  forth  an  hour  on  the  origin  of  mountains,  he  invited 


stood  out  on  a  body  without 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


273 


me  to  his  study.  A  low  room  half  underground  in  the 
rear  of  his  house,  built  of  logs,  had  been  rudely  fitted  up 
with  board,  chest  and  table,  block  candle-holders  attached 
to  the  wall  by  wires,  so  as  to  bend  out  and  in,  and  a  few 
chairs.  The  walls  were  completely  covered  with  rude 
maps  and  charts,  and  with  long  lists  of  words,. which  he 
stated  he  had  to  use  often  and  did  not  know  how  to 
spell,  all  copied  from  the  dictionary  in  large  capitals. 

Producing  a  seat  for  me  and  a  large  bowl  of  water  for 
himself,  he  entered  on  a  three  hours’  exposition  of  his 
views.  He  holds  that  all  the  fluid  elements  of  nature 
are  resolvable  into  four  gases ;  that  all  the  grosser  ele¬ 
ments  are  in  like  manner  reducible  to  four  simple  solids; 
and  from  varying  proportions  of  these  few  primitives  are 
derived  all  possible  materials  throughout  the  universe. 
He  contends  also  that  the  entire  Newtonian  theory  of 
gravity  is  erroneous  and  false  to  true  science ;  that  there 
is,  in  strictness  of  language,  no  such  principle  as  gravity 
iny where  operating  in  creation ;  that  the  terms  refrac¬ 
tion  and  reflection  are  based  on  a  total  misconception  of 
:he  nature  of  light;  that  all  space  outside  of  the  atmos¬ 
phere  contains  a  material  medium,  and  that  the  atmos¬ 
phere  is  shown  by  actual  demonstration  to  be  eight  thou- 
and  miles  thick  instead  of  forty-five. 

He  thinks  that  all  nature  is  operated  upon  by  four 
imple,  constant  and  regular  laws,  and  that  all  we  ob- 

erve  are  but  combinations  and  inter-relations  of  these 

.  • 

bur,  which  depend  for  their  action  simply  on  the  will 
nd  moving  power  of  God.  They  operate  in  one  course 
hrough.  countless  cycles  of  time,  tending  always  to  a 
ommon  center,  and,  having  run  that  course,  are  directedi 
18 


274 


LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 


in  a  returning  course  for  other  terms.  The  mental, 
moral  and  spiritual  world  is  but  a  microcosmical  copy 
of  the  material,  consisting,  too,  of  four  subtle  elements 
mingled  with  four  grosser  elements,  and  moved  upon  by 
infinite  combinations  of  four  simple  laws,  directly  refer¬ 
able  to  the  will  of  God. 

The  mountains  are  remains  of  precipitated  satellites, 
of  which  the  earth  has  had  many,  the  moon  only  re¬ 


maining  ;  but  like  all  the  others  it  is  a  hollow  globe, 


destined  to  fall  upon  and  give  final  shape  to  the  surface 
of  the  earth.  The  planets  inside  of  our  orbit  have  now 
no  satellites,  but  are  hurrying  on  to  their  destiny  on  the 
face  of  the  sun ;  while  those  outside  of  us  have  many,  and 
are  coming  in  more  slowly.  We  on  the  earth  are  ap¬ 
proaching  the  latter  part  of  our  career,  and  have  barely 
time  to  complete  the  moral  regeneration  of  the  race. 

It  is  consoling  to  know  that  the  grand  smash-up  will 
not  take  place  till  after  the  millennium.  The  old  gen¬ 
tleman  has  just  finished  his  great  work,  and  required 
all  the  information  I  could  give  him  as  to  the  cost  and 
facilities  of  getting  it  printed  in  the  East.  It  consisted 
of  forty-six  chapters,  bound  up  in  as  many  separate 
manuscript  volumes.  Take  him  all  in  all  he  is  a  curi¬ 
ous  case  of  scientific  insanity,  well  worthy  the  attention 
of  Mr.  Beck,  the  learned  writer  on  the  subject.  The 
“  Professor  ”  lectures  in  Salt  Lake  City  occasionally,  and 
Orson  Pratt — professor  and  elder,  and  the  learned  man 
of  the  city — has  thought  it  worth  while  to  reply  to  him 
through  the  press.  ,  Wild  and  strange  as  this  man’s 
ideas  may  appear,  he  is  but  a  type  of  hundreds  in  Utah. 
In  science  as  in  theology,  Mormonism  is  at  war  with 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


275 


all  existing  systems;  one-third  of  the  whole  people 
seem  a  little  crazy  on  some  subject  or  other,  and  the 

!  wildest,  most  baseless  theory,  the  one  farthest  removed 
from  natural  causes,  is  ever  the  one  most  likely  to 
prevail. 

Having  cut  loose  from  all  recognized  standards  in 
spiritual  matters,  they  seem  equally  determined  on  the 
supernatural,  and  extra  human  in  medicine,  science, 
astronomy  and  natural  history.  I  was  once  called 
upon  by  a  Mormon,  a  little  more  crazy  than  ordinary, 
with  an  immense  chart  of  what  he  called  “  Celestial 
Masonry.’’  For  the  medical  museum  of  a  mad-house, 
it  would  have  been  a  priceless  treasure.  A  canvass 
three  feet  square  was  covered  by  the  pictured  folds  of 
an  enormous  serpent,  along  which  were  drawings  of  the 
various  scenes,  symbols  and  implements  of  the  new  Ma¬ 
sonry,  divided  for  the  various  degrees,  of  which  there 
twenty-seven !  All  the  work  had  been  done  with 
[colored  crayons;  by  “ inspirational  writing,”  as  the 
:Mormon  averred,  the  spirits  guiding  his  hand  without 

!his  volition ;  and  as  a  work  of  art  it  showed  remarkable 
style  and  finish. 

Some  three  years  ago  a  “Josephite,”  or  recusant 
Mormon,  who  had  adopted  the  new  Mormon  doctrine 
of  “  transmission  of  spirits,”  conceived  that  he  was 
Adam  sent  back  to  the  flesh ;  his  wife,  a  little  worse 
■grazed,  was  Eve ;  but  during  the  six  thousand  years  of 
| their  separation  she  had  fallen  away  and  become  a 
-  prostitute.  To  “  purify  her  ”  he  cut  off  all  her  hair, 
oulled  out  her  teeth,  and  for  the  better  convenience  of 
ocomotion  dressed  her  in  man’s  clothes,  when  both 


276  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

started  on  foot  for  the  States.  A  year  afterwards  they 
made  their  appearance  at  a  ranche  in  Colorado,  nearly 
dead  with  hunger  and  fatigue ;  nor  did  it  ever  appear 
how  they  had  reached  there.  From  there  they  came 
with  a  returning  train  to  the  Missouri,  where  the  au¬ 
thorities  properly  consigned  them  to  the  lunatic  asylum. 

There  is  no  refuge  for  the  insane  in  Utah;  fortu¬ 
nately,  perhaps,  for  it  might  require  a  small  war  to 
settle  who  should  occupy  it.  Few  are  violent,  hut 
many  are  deranged ;  and  the  whole  Territory  would 
present  a  line  field  for  the  student  in  the  jurisprudence 
of  insanity. 

The  Mineral  Springs  are  ten  miles  south  of  Bear 
River  Bridge,  and  seventy  north  of  the  city;  but  I 
defer  a  full  description,  which  will  be  found  under  the 
proper  heading. 

In  my  trip  to  Bear  River,  and  return,  I  journeyed 
nearly  two  hundred  miles  among  the  rural  Saints,  and 
observed  their  ways  with  all  earnestness  and  curiosity. 
The  country  Mormon  is  more  religious  than  his  city 
brother,  but  less  intelligent.  He  is  a  greater  stickler 
for  the  small  matters  of  his  faith,  but  much  less  able  to 
give  a  reason  why.  He  is  more  hospitable,  generous 
and  social,  but  much  more  offensive  in  thrusting  the  un¬ 
pleasant  features  of  his  faith  upon  you.  But  the 
greatest  difference  is  among  the  women.  The  polyga¬ 
mous  wife  in  the  city  is  in  paradise  compared  with  her 
sister  in  the  country,  where  farm  labors  and  cares  must 
be  shared  in  common.  There  the  condition  of  woman 
is  already  fast  tending  to  what  it  is  in  Other  polyga¬ 
mous  countries,  and  there  the  degeneracy  is  soonest 


■ 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


277 


| 

4* 

l 


manifest.  While  the  men  are  enthusiastically  devoted 
to  their  faith,  I  did  not  see  a  single  woman  in  the 
country  who  defended  polygamy,  though  strongly 
Mormon  in  everything  else. 

At  least  one-third  the  entire  population  of  the  valley 
is  from  Great  Britain,  one-third  or  more  from  Sweden, 
Norway  and  Denmark,  while  possibly  one-sixth  is 
American.  As  far  as  I  know  all  the  posts  of  honor, 
indeed  all  the  easy  and  lucrative  positions,  are  filled  by 
Americans,  simply  because  the  others  are  generally  in¬ 
capable.  The  missionaries  are  largely  of  foreign  birth, 
each  being  sent  back  to  his  native  country,  after  a  few 
years  residence  in  Utah. 

Little  more  than  a  year  afterwards,  in  visiting  the 
same  section,  I  met  with  an  experience  in  Brigham 
City,  which,  though  equally  novel,  was  nothing  like  so 
pleasant.  The  Saints,  who  had  seemed  indifferent  on 
my  first  visit,  were  altogether  too  pointed  in  their  atten¬ 
tions  the  last  time. 

But  I  anticipate.  I  reached  Salt  Lake  City  the 
morning  of  October  the  sixth,  in  time  for  the  “  fall  Con¬ 
ference  ”  of  1868. 


278 


LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 


CHAPTER  XI. 

THE  CONFERENCE  AND  ITS  RESULTS. 

A  Mormon  mass-meeting — Faces  and  features — Great  enthusiasm — A 
living  “martyr” — A  Mormon  hymn — The  Poetess — A  “president” 
chosen — He  recites  the  Church  history — First  view  of  Brigham — He 
curses  the  Gentiles — A  “nasty  sermon” — Coarseness  and  profanity — 
Bitterness  of  other  speakers — Swearing  in  the  pulpit — Exciting  the 
people — Their  frenzy  and  fanatacism— Hatred  against  the  United  States— 
Foolish  bravado — The  author  gains  new  light  on  Mormonism — A  sub¬ 
ject  to  be  studied — English  and  European  Sects  of  like  character — 
Division  of  the  subject. 

The  semi-annual  conference  of  the  Church  of  Jesus 
Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints  convened  on  Tuesday 
morning,  October  6th,  in  the  new  Tabernacle,  and  was 
to  me  an  occasion  of  great  interest.  Long  before  the 
hour  of  meeting,  indeed,  from  early  dawn,  all  the  roads 
leading  into  the  city  were  thronged  by  crowds  from  dis¬ 
tant  settlements,  going  up  to  their  half-yearly  worship 
in  “  Zion.”  As  I  returned  from  Bear  River  on  the 
Sunday  and  Monday  preceding,  I  was  passed  every 
hour  by  long  trains  of  Saints  from  the  northern  and 
northeastern  parts  of  the  Territory,  and,  on  reaching 
the  city,  found  still  larger  delegations  from  Utah  Lake 
District,  Provo,  Fillmore,  San  Pete,  and  St.  George. 

This  occasion  among  the  Saints  is  every  way  equal  to 
the  yearly  passover  among  the  J ews,  and  every  one  who 
can  possibly  leave  home  makes  a  visit  to  “  Zion,”  and 
esteems  it  an  honor  and  privilege  to  do  so. 


279 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 

'  « 

I  reached  the  building  too  late  on  Tuesday  morning, 
and,  with  many  thousand  others,  was  turned  away  for 
want  of  room.  The  Saints  seemed  to  consider  it  suffi¬ 
cient  happiness  to  stand  around  and  gaze  at  the  buil¬ 
ding,  and  think  of  what  was  going  on  inside;  but  I  was 
sustained  by  no  such  enthusiasm,  and  consoled  myself 
by  getting  an  early  dinner  preparatory  to  securing  a 
seat  as  soon  as  the  doors  were  opened  in  the  afternoon. 
The  sight  was  well  worth  the  trouble.  From  my  seat 
near  the  pulpit,  and  just  at  one  side,  I  could  overlook 
the  whole  vast  sea  of  faces.  The  curtain  in  the  rear 
had  been  removed  and  the  entire  oval,  as  well  as  the 
space  beside  the  organ,  was  completely  filled  by  at  least 
ten  thousand  eager  auditors.  The  rows  of  high  seats 
on  either  side  of  the  pulpit  were  occupied  by  bishops 
and  elders  from  distant  settlements,  some  three  hundred 
in  all,  while  the  four  long  seats  constituting  the  pulpit, 
were  occupied  by  the  First  Presidency,  consisting  of 
Brigham  Young,  Daniel  H.  Wells,  and  a  vacant  space 
for  the  late  Heber  C.  Kimball;  also  by  the  Twelve 
Apostles,  the  Heads  of  the  Quorum  of  Seventies,  the 
Church  Secretary,  Historian  and  City  Elders.  It  was 
the  largest  collection  of  the  Saints  I  had  yet  seen,  and 
I  studied  it  with  much  interest. 

Occasionally  I  would  see  a  fine  cast  of  American 
features,  but  nearly  all  the  faces  had  that  indescribable 
foreign  look,  which  all  can  recognize  and  none  portray. 
In  companies  of  fifties  and  hundreds  they  had  left  their 
distant  homes  at  the  call  of  the  missionary,  had  given 
up  friends,  property,  country  and  religion,  as  they 
thought,  to  follow  Christ ;  had  tossed  upon  the  waves 


280 


LIFE  IN  UTAH ;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES  . 


in  noisome  emigrant  ships,  had  turned  their  backs  upon 
the  great  and  fertile  States,  and  traversed  eleven  hun¬ 
dred  miles  of  prairie,  mountain  and  burning  sand,  “  to 
build  up  the  kingdom  of  God  in  Deseret.”  And  to 
these  people,  all  before  them  to-day  was  a  glorious  real¬ 
ity.  Feeling  as  I  did,  that  all  this  was  but  part  of  a 
great  delusion,  I  could  not  but  reverence  the  intense 
faith  of  these  devotees. 

The  meeting  was  called  to  order,  after  which  the 
'  Twentieth  Ward  choir  sang, 

u  My  soul  is  full  of  peace  and  love, 

I  soon  shall  see  Christ  from  above,”  etc. 

Prayer  was  offered  by  Elder  Erastus  Snow,  followed 
by  a  quartette  by  the  Brigham  City  choir, 

“  Pray  for  the  peace  of  Deseret,” 

after  which  Elder  John  Taylor  addressed  the  meeting. 
Taylor  is  one  of  the  early  converts  to  Mormonism,  and 
enjoys  a  high  reputation  among  them,  having  been  with 
Joseph  Smith  in  many  trying  scenes.  With  another 
brother,  he  was  with  Joseph  and  Hyrum  at  the  time 
they  were  killed  in  Carthage  jail,  Hancock  Co.,  Illinois. 

According  to  the  popular  Mormon  account,  as.  the 
mob  commenced  firing,  Joseph  said  to  Taylor,  “I  shall 
pass  away,  but  you  shall  live  to  tell  the  tale  to  children’s 
children.”  At  that  moment  Hyrum  fell  dead.  Joseph 
cried,  “  Oh,  my  dear  brother  Hyrum !”  and  sprang  into 
the  window.  A  second  volley  was  fired,  when  Joseph 
exclaimed,  “Oh,  Lord,  my  God!”  and  fell  into  the 
street.  Of  the  same  volley,  four  shots  wounded  Taylor 
in  as  many  places,  and  a  fifth — an  ounce  ball  from  a 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


281 


yager  musket — struck  him  squarely  in  the  breast,  and 
buried  in  an  English  lever  watch  which  had  run  with¬ 
out  interruption  for  ten  years,  stopping  the  hands  exactly 
at  5  o’clock,  16  minutes,  and  22  seconds,  P.  M.,  which 
is  marked  among  the  Saints  as  the  solemn  hour  of  the 
Prophet’s  death.  On  the  fall  of  Joseph,  the  mob  rushed 
around  the  building,  and  the  fourth  brother,  who  was 
unhurt,  carried  Taylor  down  stairs  and  to  a  place  of 
safety.  A  Mormon  tradition  adds,  that  at  the  same 
time  a  gigantic  Missourian,  with  his  face  blackened,  ran 
forward  to  cut  off  Joseph’s  head,  for  which  a  reward 
had  been  offered ;  but  as  he  knelt,  knife  in  hand,  on 
the  body  of  the  Prophet,  a  flash  of  lightning  darted 
from  the  clear  sky  between  him  and  his  victim,  and 
shook  the  knife  from  his  grasp.  This  incident,  which 
is  the  subject  of  a  sensational  engraving  often  seen  in 
the  Mormon  dwellings,  rests  upon  the  statement  of  one 
Daniels,  the  only  witness  of  the  assassination  not  con¬ 
nected  either  with  the  Mormons  or  the  mob.  He  joined 
the  Mormons  soon  after,  and,  at  the  request  of  the 
Apostles,  published  his  account.  He  was  afterward 
“  cut  off”  from  the  church,  but  they  still  cling  to  his 
testimony.  The  watch  which  marked  the  hour  so  pre- 
j  cisely,  is  kept  as  a  sacred  relic  in  the  city.  Taylor, 
i  though  shot  nearly  all  to  pieces,  recovered  entirely  and 
is  a  healthy,  venerable -looking  old  man  of  sixty  years. 
;  He  gave  a  rather  able  address,  reciting  some  of  the  early 
trials,  and  urging  the  Saints  to  be  industrious  and  self- 
5  sustaining. 

The  choir  then  sang  the  following  hymn,  composed 
by  Miss  Eliza  K.  Snow,  the  Mormon  poetess : — 


282 


LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 


“OUR  PROPHET,  BRIGHAM  YOUNG.” 

“  O  God  of  life  and  glory  ! 

Hear  Thou  a  people’s  prayer, 

Bless,  bless  our  Prophet  Brigham  ; 

Let  him  thy  fullness  share. 

He  is  Thy  chosen  servant — 

To  lead  Thine  Israel  forth, 

Till  Zion,  crowned  with  joy,  shall  be 
A  praise  in  all  the  earth. 

“  He  draws  from  Christ,  the  fountain 
Of  everlasting  truth, 

The  wise  and  prudent  counsels 
Which  he  gives  to. age  and  youth. 

Thyself  in  him  reflected 
Through  mortal  agency, 

He  is  Thy  representative 
To  set  Thy  people  free. 

u  Thou  richly  hast  endowed  him 
With  wisdom’s  bounteous  store, 

And  Thou  hast  made  him  mighty 
By  Thy  own  Almighty  power. 

Oh,  let  'his  life  be  precious — 

Bless  Thou  his  brethren,  too, 

Who  firmly  join  him  side  by  side, 

Who’re  true  as  he  is  true. 

u  Help  him  to  found  Thy  kindom 
In  majesty  and  power, 

With  peace  in  every  palace 

And  with  strength  in  every  tower  ; 

And  when  thy  chosen  Israel 
Their  noblest  strains  have  suns:. 

The  swelling  chorus  there  shall  be 
Our  Prophet,  Brigham  Young.” 

This  authoress  is  one  of  the  “  spiritual  wives  ”  of 
Brigham,*  which  class  of  ladies  usually  retain  their 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


283 


maidenly  appellation,  sometimes  merely  adding  that  of 
the  spiritual  husband.  She  is  a  very  fine,  intellectual¬ 
looking  woman  of  forty  or  fifty  years,  and  from  her 
appearance  seems  made  to  be  loved. 

On  Wednesday  morning  Elder  George  A.  Smith, 
cousin  of  Joseph,  was  chosen  as  First  Counselor  to  Brig¬ 
ham  Young,  in  place  of  Heber  C.  Kimball,  deceased. 
Daniel  H.  Wells  is  Second  Counselor,  and  these  three 

constitute  the  First  Presidehcy,  at  the  head  of  all  affairs 

* 

of  the  Church. 

President  Smith  then  gave  a  lengthy  account  of  the 
early  history  of  the  Church  from  the  time  Joseph  was 
called  to  take  the  golden  plates  out  of  the  Hill  of  Cu- 
morah,  in  western  New  York,  to  the  expulsion  from 
Nauvoo.  He  enlarged  on  their  troubles  in  Kirtland  and 
journey  to  Missouri.  “  There  two  priests  organized  a 
mob,  and  the  Lieutenant-Governor  called  out  the  militia. 
The  Saints  were  driven  from  Jackson  County  to  Clay, 
and  from  Clay  to  Caldwell,  which  they  found  occupied 
by  seven  persons,  all  hunters.  Far  West  was  built  as  if 
by  magic.  By  August  1,  1838,  they  owned  all  of  Cald¬ 
well  and  parts  of  neighboring  counties,  when  the  mobs 
came  upon  them  again.  The  Governor  called  out  fifteen 
thousand  men,  but  there  was  no  law  but  mob  law, 
whipping  men  and  ravishing  women.  Women  and 
children  wandered  for  fifteen  days  on  the  burnt  prairie, 
and  could  be  tracked  by  the  blood  from  their  feet.  Then 
the  Saints  went  to  Illinois  and  built  the  beautiful  city 
of  Nauvoo,  and  while  there  Joseph  Smith  went  to  see 
the  President,  Martin  Van  Buren,  who  heard  his  peti¬ 
tion  through,  and  then  said  :  ‘  Your  cause  is  just,  but  I 


284 


LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 


can  do  nothing  for  you.’  Soon  after  this  J oseph  and 
Hyrum  were  arrested  and  murdered.  Then  a  combinar 
tion  was  formed  in  nine  counties  to  expel  us. 

“  We  appealed  to  the  Governors  of  the  States  and 
were  told  the  law  was  on  our  side,  but  public  opinion 
was  against  us  and  we  would  have  to  leave.  We  finished 


our  temple  with  the  trowel  in  one  hand  and  rifle  in  the 
other.  Then  our  city  was  bombarded  for  three  days 
and  we  retreated  again.  We  commenced  to  cross  the 
Mississippi  in  the  month  of  February  on  the  ice.  While 
lying  on  the  bank  of  the  river  the  Lord  sent  quails  into 
the  camp  that  they  could  take  them  with  the  hand, 
which  kept  the  people  from  dying  of  hunger.  In  that 
condition  they  remained  till  those  who  had  gone  west 
could  return  with  wagons  and  take  them  away ;  but  be¬ 
fore  this  was  done  many  perished.” 

This  history  was  continued  at  various  times  by  all 
the  speakers,  and  in  the  most  exaggerated  and  inflam¬ 
matory  style.  On  Thursday  morning  I  heard  Brigham 
Young  for  the  first  time.  He  is  above  medium  height, 


i 


well  proportioned,  fine  and  portly-looking;  with  gray  or 
light  blue  eyes,  light  brown  or  golden  hair,  now  sprinkled 
with  gray,  clear,  rosy  skin  and  sanguine  temperament. 
His  voice  is  quite  clear  and  his  enunciation  distinct,  with 
considerable  of  what  is  termed  “  presence,”  and  electric 
effect  upon  his  congregation.  But  his  style  was  coarse, 
in  this  instance  even  vulgar  beyond  the  bounds  of  des¬ 
cription.  He  was  evidently  either  in  an  ill  humor  or 
determined  to  make  the  people  so,  indulging  in  remin¬ 
iscences  both  personal  and  public,  which  led  him  into 
violent  denunciation  of  all  outsiders.  When  he  first 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


285 


arose  I  was  somewhat  impressed,  and  thought  I  saw  one 
reason  for  his  supremacy,  that  he  was  indebted  for  his 
power  over  an  ignorant  people  almost  as  much  to  his 
physical  as  to  his  mental  superiority.  But  when  he  had 
closed  I  was  utterly  amazed,  and  it  seemed  incredible 
that  one  hundred  people  could  be  found,  much  less  a 
thousand  times  that  number,  who  should  regard  him  as 
a  “  prophet  of  the  Lord.”  Afterwards,  however,  I  had 
the  pleasure  of  hearing  hint  when  he  was  in  a’  calmer 
mood,  when  he  appeared,  to  some  extent  at  least,  the 
prophet,  priest  and  king. 

For  the  rest  of  the  Conference,  which  was  mainly 
devoted  to  the  discussion  of  a  general  movement  to 
prevent  trade  with  the  Gentile  merchants,  the  speakers 
seemed  to  vie  with  each  other  in  bitterness,  intemper- 
ance  of  language,  and  hostility  to  Gentiles ;  and  all  the 
good  opinions  of  the  Mormons  I  had  hitherto  formed 
were  utterly  dissipated.  For  the  first  time  in  my  life  I 
heard  the  Government  and  people  of  the  United  States 
denounced,  ridiculed  and  cursed,  and  the  very  name  of 
American  made  a  hissing  and  a  byword ;  for  the  first 
time  I  heard  professed  preachers  swearing  in  the  pulpit, 
and  such  expressions  as  “d — d  apostate”  flung  reck¬ 
lessly  about  by  so-called  apostles  and  priests.  The 
Conference  closed,  and  its  bad  effect  was  soon  apparent. 
When  I  first  arrived,  there  had  been  an  era  of  good 
feeling;  old  bitterness  appeared  to  be  passing  away, 
and  I  was  quite  convinced  that  much  I  had  heard  of  the 
feud  between  Gentiles  and  Mormons  was  exaggerated. 

In  this  temper  of  the  public  mind  the  Conference 
met,  passed  a  decree  of  non-intercourse  with  the  re- 


286  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

sident  Gentiles,  and  spared  no  pains  to  inflame  the 
public  mind.  The  entire  history  of  the  Church  was 
rehearsed,  and  in  the  most  intemperate  style ;  every 
act  of  “  persecution,”  every  slight  and  neglect  was  dwelt 
upon  to  the  most  minute  particulars,  and  matters  of 
comparative  indifference  exaggerated  clear  out  of  truth¬ 
ful  proportion.  There  was  not  the  slightest  hint 
that  the  Mormons  were  anywhere  in  the  wrong,  that 
there  was  the  least  palliation  for  their  enemies;  not 
even  the  charitable  assumption  that  some  few  of  the 
latter  believed  themselves  in  the  right.  On  the  con¬ 
trary,  avery  scrap  of  history  began  and  continued  with 
the  broad  assumption,  “We  are  the  chosen  people  of 
God,  to  whom  He  has  spoken  by  the  mouth  of  His 
Prophet  in  these  latter  days,  and,  being  such,  of  course, 
the  world  hated  us.  There  is  and  must  be  eternal 
enmity  between  God  and  the  devil,  so  there  was  and 
must  be  between  Zion  and  the  children  of  the  devil,  to 
wit,  the  Missourians  and  the  Illinoisans.”  And  these 
simple  folks,  who  had  come  up  to  the  Tabernacle  with 
quiet  minds,  at  peace  with  each  other  and  all  the  world, 
left  it  with  a  burning  bitterness  against  all  Gentiles ; 
and,  as  successive  speakers  recounted  their  troubles  in 
Missouri  and  Illinois,  they  seemed  wrought  up  to  a  per¬ 
fect  frenzy.  In  Brigham’s  “  sermon”  he  threatened  dire 
mischiefs  upon  the  “d — d  apostates,”  and  expressed 
himself  as  “only  sorry  for  one  thing,  that  God  didn’t 
tell  us  to  fight  the  d — d  mobocrats,”  to  which  the 
Tabernacle  resounded  with  shouts  of  “Amen,  Amen!” 

Another  speaker,  George  Q.  Cannon,  went  much 
farther,  and  seemed  to  exhaust  all  the  resources  of 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


287 


lingual  ingenuity  to  provoke  the  people  to  mob  violence, 
without  directly  advising  it.  The  great  objects  of  his 
animosity  were  the  Reporter — Gentile  paper — and  the 
grammar  school  of  St.  Mark’s  Associate  Mission,  the 
Gentile  school  of  the  City.  Cannon  stigmatized  the 
school  as  one  of  the  institutions  of  the  devil  set  up  in 
Zion,  and  then  asked :  “  Shall  such  an  institution  be 
allowed  to  go  on  and  innoculate  the  minds  of  our 
children  with  its  damnable  and  pernicious  doctrines  ?” 
Which  was  answered  with  a  universal  shout  of  “  No !” 
“  No.”  He  hardly  dared  to  directly  advise  the  people 
to  attack  or  destroy  the  Reporter  office,  but  related  a 
bit  of  history,  with  comments,  which,  if  not  intended  to 
indicate  violence,  had  no  force  that  I  can  perceive.  He 
said  when  he  was  a  boy  in  Nauvoo,  there  was  a  paper 
published  there  by  some  “  apostates  ”  called  the  “  Ex¬ 
positor.”  It  vilified  the  Saints,  and  scandalized  their 
wives  and  daughters  till  the  City  Council  declared  it  a 
nuisance.  About  that  time  the  speaker  was  in  the 
office  of  the  Mormon  paper  there,  and  heard  Joseph 
and  Hyrum  Smith  talking  about  it.  Hyrum  said, 
“  Rather  than  allow  it  to  go  on,  he  would  lay  his  body 
in  the  walls  of  the  building  where  it  was  issued.”  The 
speaker  then  gave  a  glowing  account  of  the  martyrdom 
of  Joseph  and  Hyrum,  and  the  many  Saints  who 
suffered  on  account  of  the  “  Expositor  ”  till  the  people 
were  wrought  into  a  perfect-  frenzy.  He  then  stated 
that  “  right  here  in  the  midst  of  Zion  a  paper  was 
issued,  so  much  like  that,  he  could  hardly  tell  them 
apart,  and  the  times  were  so  similar  he  almost  imagined 
himself  a  boy  again.”  •  Then  reading  some  extracts 


288  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

from  the  Reporter ,  and  commenting  in'  an  inflammatory 
style,  he  said :  “  In  any  other  community  such  a  paper 

as  this  would  be  gutted  inside  of  five  days,  and  its 

* _ 

.  Editor  strung  up  to  a  telegraph  pole.  To  which  the 
excited  congregation  responded,  “  Hear,  hear,”  “  Here 
we  are,”  etc. 

I  now  began  to  understand  what  had  at  first  seemed 
a  mystery  to  me;  that  in  every  State  where  the  Mor¬ 
mons  had  lived,  the  people  who  had  at  first  welcomed 
them  gladly,  ended  by  hating  and  opposing  them. 
Granting  that  all  the  charges  against  them  of  petty 
thieving,  counterfeiting  and  trespass  were  untrue,  such 
mad  fanaticism  could  not  but  destroy  good  neighbor¬ 
hood,  and  arouse  all  other  violent  elements  in  opposi¬ 
tion  to  their  own.  Mormonism,  which  had  hitherto 
been  to  me  a  mere  amusement  or  matter  of  passing 
interest,  now  appeared  a  subject  worthy  of  serious  and 
earnest  investigation. 

That  a  vast  multitude  of  people  should  embrace  a 
wild  scheme  of  religion  is  no  new  thing,  perhaps  no 
great  wonder;  the  foremost  nations  of  Europe  have 
witnessed  greater  displays  of  fanaticism ;  England  had 
her  Irvingites,  Muggletonians  and  devotees  of  Joanna 
Southcott;  Germany  was  compelled  to  slaughter  fifty 
thousand  of  the  fierce  Anabaptists  of  Munster,  followers 
of  St.  J ohn  of  Leyden ;  while  the  convulsionists  of 
France,  and  t}ie  self-mutilating  sects  of  Russia,  have 
shown  more  unnatural  bigotry  than  the  Mormons.  But 
that  a  theocratic  despotism  should  spring  np  in  a  free 
republic;  that  the  cool  and  practical  Yankee  should 
turn  Prophet,  and  that  after  two  thousand  year«  of 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


289 


Cliristain  progress,  men  and  women  should  voluntarily 
turn  back  to  polygamy,  semi-paganism  and  the  “  dead 
works  ”  of  a  ceremonial  law — this  is  cause  for  inquiry. 
Let  us  then  take  a  brief  view  of  the  most  characteristic 
features  of  Mormonism,  arranging  them  for  conveni¬ 
ence  in  the  following  order : 

I.  Mormon  society  and  general  views. 

II.  Analysis  of  Mormon  theology. 

III.  Theoretical  polygamy — its  history. 

IV.  Practical  polygamy. 

V.  The  Mormon  theocracy. 


290 


LIFE  IN  UTAH  ;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 


CHAPTER  XII. 

ANALYSIS  OF  MORMON  SOCIETY. 


Difficulty  at  the  outset — Extremes  among  witnesses — Prejudice  on  both 
sides — First  impressions  favorable — “  Whited  Sepulchres” — Classes  of 
Mormons — Brigham  Young  ;  impostor  or  fanatic  ? — The  dishonest  class 
— The  “earnest  Mormons” — Disloyalty — Church  and  State — Killing 
men  to  save  their  souls — Slavery  of  woman — Brigham  the  government 
— Prophecy  against  the  United  States — “War” — “Seven  women  to 
take  hold  of  one  man  ” — Another  war  expected— Blood  and  thunder  in 
store  for  the  Gentiles  —  “  The  great  tribulation  ”  about  due — Popular  er¬ 
rors — Witchcraft — “Faith-doctoring” — Zion  in  Jackson  County,  Mis¬ 
souri — Comfortable  prospect. 

Before  entering  upon  a  subject  so  complex  as  Mor-  c 
mon  society  and  theology,  it  is  necessary  to  warn  the 
reader  that  on  many  of  its  features  it  is  difficult  to 
write  without  some  warmth  of  feeling ;  and  as  to  polyg¬ 
amy,  quite  impossible  to  treat  thereon  without  coarse¬ 
ness.  In  this  part  of  my  work  too,  a  special  preface  is 
appropriate,  as  our  American-Saxon  is  particularly  defi¬ 
cient  in  those  delicate  euphemisms  which  enable  an  au- 
thor  to  describe  that  which  is  vile,  in  language  which 
is  comparatively  chaste,  or  at  any  rate,  not  shocking  or 
offensive.  In  treating  of  the  gross  materialism  and 
perverted  sexualism  of  the  Mormons,  it  has  been 
thought  best  to  speak  plainly,  that  the  full  effects  of  this 
new  Mohammedanism  may  be  seen  and  read  of  all  men.  j 
A  serious  difficulty  meets  us  at  the  very  outset  of  an 
examination  into  the  affairs  of  Utah.  The  fair-minded 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


291 


Gentile,  who  really  desires  to  know  the  truth,  must  in 
effect,  resolve  himself  into  a  perambulating  jury  of  one, 
to  try  every  fact  presented  by  the  strictest  rules  of  legal 
acumen.  He  will  find  three  different  accounts  of,  three 
separate  reasons  for,  and  three  opposite  deductions  from 
every  possible  occurrence,  viz.  :  the  Mormon  account 
wholly  presumed  and  one-sided ;  the  bitter  anti-Mor¬ 
mon  account  which  would  condemn  all  of  an  opposite 
creed  without  distinction,  apd  the  account  of  the  moder¬ 
ate  Gentiles,  who  are  in  the  best  position  to  give  a  fair 
judgment,  but  being  necessarily  distrusted  by  both  the 
other  parties,  are  in  a  poor  way  to  get  at  facts. 

Two  classes  of  writers  have  dealt  with  the  Mormon 
question ;  the  one  has  described  in  glowing  terms  the 
simple  earnestness  of  the  people,  their  devotion  to  an 
idea,  their  faithfulness  to  their  leaders,  their  industry, 
frugality,  temperance,  and  love  of  home ;  the  other 
has  painted,  in  dark  colors,  their  horrible  crimes,  their 
lustful  and  debasing  doctrines,  their  depravity,  treach¬ 
ery,  disloyalty,  petty  tyranny  and  social  meanness. 
Paradoxical  as  it  may  appear,  there  is  a  measure  of 
truth  on  both  sides ;  thousands  of  the  Mormon  laity, 
ignorant,  zealous  and  sincere,  have  many  of  the  virtues 
claimed  for  them,  while  the  gang  of  licentious  villains 
who  mould  this  pliable  mass,  are  guilty  of  tenfold  more 
crimes  than  the  world  will  ever  know.  In  all  descrip¬ 
tions  of  life  and  manners  in  Utah,  this  distinction  is  to 
be  carefully  kept  in  mind.  It  is  a  noteworthy  fact,  too, 
that  visitors  who  reach  Salt  Lake  City  with  no  decided 
feelings  either  way,  nearly  always  form  a  more  favor¬ 
able  opinion  at  first,  than  they  have  after  a  few  months’ 


292  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

residence.  I  was  slow  in  arriving  at  the  reasons  for 
this,  but  there  are  good  ones. 

Men  of  quiet  tastes  arrive  there  from  some  border 
towns,  where  the  offscourings  of  Christendom  are  gath¬ 
ered,  and  the  apparent  change  strikes  them  with  great 
force.  They  are  charmed  with  the  quiet  and  order  and 
beauty  that  seem  to  prevail  on  every  hand,  and  in  all 
conversations  it  is  carefully  impressed  upon  their  minds, 
that  all  this  is  the  result  of  Brighamism  and  the  insti¬ 
tutions  set  up  under  it.  Much  more  is  claimed  than  is 
true,  and  the  visitor  finding  things  better  than  he  ex¬ 
pected,  is  led  to  believe  them  better  than  they  really 
are.  But  as  he  progresses  in  knowledge,  his  views  of 
this  vaunted  “  quiet,  and  order,  and  beauty,”  begin  to 
change.  He  finds  that  this  quiet  is  the  quiet  of  des¬ 
potism — this  order  is  of  the  kind  that  “  reigned  in 
Warsaw”  on  a  certain  historic  occasion,  when  the  heel 
of  the  tyrant  was  on  fifty  thousand  necks,  and  to  mur¬ 
mur  was  to  be  crushed. 

He  finds  that  the  beauty  is  mostly  of  nature’s  mak¬ 
ing,  and  as  to  the  boasted  virtue  and  honesty,  it  is 
about  like  that  of  other  similar  communities — good, 
bad  and  indifferent.  There  ought  to  be  virtue  in  a 
community  where  no  man  is  introduced  to  a  woman, 
until  he  has  been  thoroughly  tested,  and  where  the 
“  dagger  to  the  heart”  is  the  openly  avowed  penalty  for 
the  slightest  infraction;  and  yet  such  are  the  defects  of 
their  social  system  that,  despite  these  dread  penalties, 
virtue  is  not  secured.  Public  prostitution  is,  of  course, 
comparatively  unknown,  but  that  private  immorality, 
and  that  of  the  most  loathsome  character,  prevails  ex- 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


293 


tensively,  is  well  known  to  all  who  care  to  inquire ;  and 
is  often  flatly  acknowledged  by  their  own  speakers,  one 
of  whom  said,  in  a  public  sermon,  that  he  could  not 
preserve  his  own  honor,  “couldn’t  trust  his  women  out 
of  his  sight,  and  was  bound  to  have  ’em  all  in  one  house, 
under  his  own  eye.”  The  resident  finally  learns  these 
facts,  and  learns,  too,  that  things  he  considers  gross 
crimes  are  practiced  under  the  name  of  religion. 

Then  a  reaction  begins  jn  his  mind,  and  anger  is 
excited  more  fiercely  against  crimes  concealed  in  the 
name  of  religion,  than  those  which  appear  in  true 
colors.  And  this  is  the  crime  of  Brighamism,  that  a 
class  of  swindling  fanatics  can  so  put  on  the  appearance 
of  virtue  as  to  deceive  both  those  within  and  without, 
their  followers  and  their  visitors.  At  first,  I  thought 
I  was  alone  in  thus  changing  my  views ;  but  I  find  it 
to  be  the  case,  nine  times  out  of  ten,  with  the  fair- 
minded  Gentile.  Look  at  the  long  list  of  visitors  who 
have  spoken  or  written,  and  it  will  generally  be  found, 
the  shorter  their  stay,  the  more  favorable  their  testi¬ 
mony.  There  is  one  point  on  which  I  long  refused 
belief,  the  existence  of  “Danites”  or  “Destroying 
Angels.”  I  looked  upon  them  as  rather  a  bug-a-boo  of 
the  Gentile  mind.  But  the  testimony  is  now  unim¬ 
peachable.  I  find  their  existence  avowed  in  Brigham’s 
old  sermons.  I  have  met  more  than  one  man  who  had 
narrowly  escaped  from  them  with  life.  I  have  it  from 
the  statements  of  apostates,  and  more  than  all  else,  my 
personal  friends  among  the  Mormons  themselves,  have 
avowed  and  defended  the  order.  To  a  young  Mormon 
woman,  who  was  laboring  for  my  conversion,  I  said,  in 


294  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

jest :  “Do  you  believe  in  these  Danites  ?  Do  you  sus¬ 
tain  such  a  man  as  Bill  Hickman  in  his  murders  ?” 
and,  to  my  surprise,  the  reply  was:  “That  is  his  office, 
to  cut  off  those  who  violate  a  sacred  obligation,  for 
which  there  is  no  forgiveness.  That  is  the  law  of  God/' 
When  a  man  finds  growing  within  him  a  sentiment 
of  hostility  to  a  sect  claiming  to  be  religious,  he  does 
well  to  consider  carefully  the  grounds  of  such  feeling, 
lest  early  prejudice  or  sectarian  bias  be  misleading  him. 
Charges  against  religious  bodies  are  to  be  received  with 
caution,  and  examined  with  more  than  legal  distrust. 
We  do  well  to  remember  that  the  crimes  of  religious 
communities  have  been  exaggerated  in  every  age  of  the 
world,  and  hence  extra  caution  is  due  to  them  in  ex¬ 
amining  their  history.  In  this  spirit  I  can  truly  say  I 
approached  Mormonism  ;  and  when  compelled  to  radi¬ 
cally  change  my  views  of  them,  while  I  felt  a  natural 
chagrin  at  having  been  at  first  deceived,  it  was  more 
in  sorrow  than  in  anger  that  I  found  myself  disen¬ 
chanted.  And  this  has  been  the  experience  of  the 
great  majority  who  have  made  a  lengthy  residence  in 
Utah.  For  a  few  weeks  all  seems  right;  but  if  any 
man  flatters  himself  that  at  the  end  of  six  weeks  he 
has  seen  more  than  the  superficies  of  Mormon  society, 
he  is  wofully  deceived.  When  the  first  flush  of  curi¬ 
osity  had  subsided  I  ceased  hunting  for  information  of 
those  so  falsely  called  “  representative  men ;”  I  began 
to  look  among  the  people.  I  talked  with  the  young, 
and  extended  my  acquaintance  among  that  class — most 
generally  women — who  have  been  wrecked  in  mind, 
body  and  estate  by  the  maelstrom  of  lust  and  fanatical 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


295 


fury,  which  is  ever  raging  in  the  Mormon  capital.  It 
is  not  easy  to  get  at  these  facts.  The  witnesses  will  not 
speak  while  there  is  the  slightest  doubt.  They  know  not 
whom  to  trust,  and  one  must  take  a  decided  stand,  and 
become  himself  an  object  of  hatred  and  distrust  to  the 
hierarchy,  before  he  can  safely  be  considered  a  friend  to 
its  victims.  But  when  a  man  has  fairly  cut  loose  from 
the  misrepresentations  of  the  few,  and  begun  to  get  the 
facts  from  the  mass,  every ‘day  the  odious  features  of 
Mormonism  rise  into  clearer  view,  till  he  stands  aghast 
to  think  he  ever  had  a  good  opinion  of  the  system. 
The  Mormon  Church,  or  rather  community,  may  be 
divided  into  four  classes. 

I.  First  are  the  leaders  of  all  ranks,  from  the  First 
Presidency  down  through  all  the  grades  of  apostles, 
seventies,  bishops,  elders,  priests,  evangelists,  mission¬ 
aries  and  teachers. 

They  are  all  bound  to  the  Church  by  the  strongest 
ties  of  self-interest,  as  by  it  they  live — many  of  them 
in  splendor  and  affluence.  In  such  a  state  of  facts,  we 
may  well  question  their  sincerity,  especially  as  some  of 
them  are  men  of  keen  analytical  talents,  and  far-reach¬ 
ing  sagacity.  But  whether  they  think  it  true  or  false, 
they  must  stand  or  fall  with  the  system;  Some  of  them 
evidently  believe  in  it  with  all  earnestness ;  others,  as 
evidently  do  not.  Their  history  and  unguarded  ex¬ 
pressions  show  that.  Still  a  third  class  seem  doubtful, 
and  to  this  it  must  be  confessed  Brigham  Young  belongs. 


Outsiders  are  strangely  divided  in  opinion  regarding 
him.  His  worst  enemies,  while  they  charge  him  with 
every  crime  in  the  code,  yet  often  admit  that  he  is  sin* 


296  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

cere  in  his  religious  belief ;  “  but,”  say  they,  “  his  relig¬ 
ion  admits  of  the  most  atrocious  crimes,  if  done  to  fur¬ 
ther  good  interests  !  ”  Others  look  upon  him  as  a  heart¬ 
less  impostor,  a  sensual,  deceitful  tyrant,  and  this  I  find 
to  be  the  common  view  among  apostates,  or  recusant 
Mormons,  who  have  suffered  from  his  acts.  I  am  in¬ 
clined  to  regard  him  as  that  strange  compound  of  im¬ 
postor  and  fanatic,  which  history  has  shown  to  be  pos¬ 
sible,  as  in  the  cases  of  the  Florentine,  Savonarola  and 
the  Jesuit,  Loyola.  Incredible  as  it  may  appear  to  a 
mind  and  conscience  yet  undebauched,  men  may  and 
actually  do  persuade  themselves  that  they  are  doing 
God’s  service  while  committing  the  most  heinous  crimes, 
and 

“Christians  have  burnt  each  other,  quite  persuaded 
That  all  the  Apostles  would  have  done  as  they  did.” 

II.  The  second  class  comprises  those  who  have  em¬ 
braced  Mormonism  from  unworthy  motives,  and  consists 
generally  of  men  with  no  fixed  sentiments  on  any  sub¬ 
ject  except  their  own  self-interest.  They  are  men  who 
ha\  e  been  unfortunate  or  criminal  in  other  communities, 
and  fled  to  Mormonism  for  a  refuge.  Broken  down 
merchants,  professional  men,  without  character,  and  the 
“  bilks  ”  and  “  dead  beats  ”  of  other  communities 
generally,  who  have  been  deceived  by  the  representa¬ 
tions  of  progress  there,  and  expected  to  better  them¬ 
selves  by  casting  in  their  fortunes  with  a  rising  sect. 
And  from  this  class  have  originated  many  of  the  Mor¬ 
mon  troubles,  in  times  past.  They  often  become 
dissatisfied  and  turbulent,  and  often  apostatize,  but 
have  too  little  fixedness  of  sentiment,  and  too  much 


297 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 

dullness  of  moral  perception  to  be  of  any  value  to 
either  side.  Some  of  them  seek  easy  positions  under 
the  hierarchy ;  others,  more  desperate,  sink  lower,  and 
become  the  mere  tools  of  the  leaders  to  do  all  their 
dirty  and  infamous  work.  Mutual  guilt  then  makes 
them  mutual  spies,  and  conscious  that  their  lives  are  in 
the  power  of  their  masters,  they  live  as  guilty  and 
miserable  slaves,  with  the  assured  knowledge  that,  at 
the  slightest  disloyal  move,  their  lives  will  pay  the  for¬ 
feit.  More  than  one  of  this  class  has  met  with  a  bloody 
death,  from  the  simple  fact  that  he  knew  too  much,  as 
I  now'  know  from  undoubted  testimony. 

III.  The  third  class  consists  of  those  who  became 
Mormons  sincerely,  but  from  slight  or  insufficient  mo¬ 
tives.  They  united  with  the  sect,  with  as  much 
sincerity  as  they  were  capable  of,  but  with  no  clear 
understanding  of  what  was  before  them.  Before  em¬ 
bracing  Mormonism,  they  were  generally  afloat  on 
religious  subjects,  or  dissatisfied  with  what  they  saw  in 
their  own  churches,  and  had  fallen  into  the  dangerous 
habit  of  suspecting  all  men  of  hypocrisy  who  showed 
much  zeal  for  morality.  I  have  met  dozens  of  this 
class  who  had  been  “  lobby  members  ”  of  the  Methodist, 
Baptist,  Presbyterian,  and  Campbellite  Churches;  that 
weak,  feeble  class  of  Christians  who  expect  the  church 
to  pick  them  up  and  carry  them  to  heaven,  carefully 
lifting  them  over  the  rough  places  in  the  road,  and  re¬ 
moving  every  annoying  doubt  which  will  rise  in  an 
idle  or  rapid  brain.  I  have  heard  them  speak  of  their 
churches  as  “  stationary,”  or  “  sleepy,”  never  dreaming 
that  the  fault  was  in  themselves.  They  were  the  weak, 


298  LIFE  IN  UTAH  ;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

discontented  disciples,  without  the  fierce  vigor  and 
aggressive  spirit  of  the  true  Church  ;  not  having  learned 
the  first  principle  of  Christianity  to  be  zealous,  unselfish 
laborers.  In  this  state  of  mind  their  attention  is  caught 
and  fancy  captivated  by  the  claim  of  a  new  revelation, 
of  holding  direct  communion  with  heaven,  of  walking 
every  day  in  new  light  received  from  without ;  and  also 
at  thought  of  a  distinctively  American  religion,  with 
saints,  apostles,  prophets  and  martyrs,  all  of  our  own 
race  and  time.  This  class  are  very  enthusiastic  on 
first  reaching  the  new  “  Zion,”  but  often  grow  dis¬ 
contented,  and  fall  again  into  their  doubting  and 
querulous  habits.  But  as  they  did  not  think  their  way 
into  Mormonism,  they  cannot  think  themselves  out, 
and  so  they  simply  float.  Sometimes  they  apostatize, 
but  are  no  loss  to  the  Church  and  no  gain  to  the  Gen¬ 
tiles,  from  pure  lack  of  intellectual  vigor. 

IV.  The  fourth  class  consists  of  those  who  really  be¬ 
lieve  in  Mormonism  with  all  its  absurdities  and  con¬ 
tradictions.  They  never  doubt  for  a  moment,  that 
Joseph  Smith  was  sent  direct  from  God,  and  that  Brig¬ 
ham  Young  is  his  successor.  This  class  comprises  about 
half  of  the  whole  community,  and  they  are  the  really 
dangerous  element.  No  miraculous  story  is  too  great  for 
their  belief,  if  it  have  the  stamp  of “  authority,”  and  no  op¬ 
pression  or  priestly  tyranny  seems  to  shake  their  faith  for 
a  moment ;  and,  paradoxical  as  it  may  seem,  in  this  class 
are  found  all  the  virtues  of  the  Mormon  community. 
They  are  industrious,  frugal  (often  from  necessity),  and 
reasonably  temperate.  Their  honesty,  I  think,  has 
been  overrated,  and  Brigham  and  other  leaders  often  say 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


299 


■ 

the  same.  Yet,  one  may  travel  among  them  for  weeks, 
as  I  have  done,  and  meet  with  nothing  but  kindness 
and  hospitality. 

But  in  their  very  virtues  lies  the  greatest  danger. 
Their  constancy  to  their  leaders  is  wonderful,  and  their 
gullibility  and  capacity  to  swallow  the  marvelous,  be¬ 
yond  belief;  so  they  constitute  a  mass  of  dangerous 
power  in  the  hands  of  corrupt  and  treasonable  men. 
These  are  the  men  we  ought  to  reach  and  try  to  save, 
and  yet  they  are  the  very  ones  who  are  hardest  to 
influence.  They  will  not  ‘read  our  books  or  papers, 
(very  many  of  them  cannot),  nor  listen  for  a  moment 
to  our  arguments.  They  denounce  everything  which 
is  not  approved  by  the  bishop,  and  pronounce  the 
plainest  facts  of  history  false,  if  they  clash  with  the 
statements  of  “  authority.”  Conversing  once  with  one 
such,  a  merchant  of  the  city,  I  read  the  following  pas¬ 
sage  from  the  “Book  of  Mormon:”  “We  found  upon 
the  land  of  promise  (Central  America),  that  there  were 
beasts  in  the  forest  of  every  kind,  both  the  cow  and  the 
ox ,  and  the  ass  and  the  horse ,  and  all  manner  of  wild 
animals,  which  were  for  the  use  of  men.” 

“  Now,”  said  I,  “  your  Prophet  says  the  Nephites 
landed  in  America  six  hundred  years  before  Christ,  and 
the  last  of  them  perished  about  A.  D.  500,  and  all  this 
time  they  had  used  the  horse  and  the  ass.  Now,  any 
history  of  America  will  show  that  the  horse  was  com¬ 
pletely  unknown  to  the  Indians  till  brought  here  by  the 
Spaniards.” 

“  0,  pshaw !”  was  the  reply,  “  I  don’t  believe  a  word 
of  it;  it’s  a  d — d  lie,  got  up  by  some  enemy  of  the 
truth.” 


300  LIFE  IN  UTAH  ;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

“  But,”  I  urged,  “  go  further  back  than  Mormonism. 
Take  the  letters  of  George  Washington,  and  you  will 
find  that  he  was  the  first  man  who  ever  imported  the 
ass  to  America !  Could  the  Nephites  have  had  these 
animals,  and  no  trace  of  them  be  found  ?” 

“I  don’t  believe  George  Washington,  or  any  other 
man,  knows  anything  about  it,”  said  he;  “you  examine 
and  you  will  find  many  of  the  so-called  facts  of  history 
are  not  facts.  You  may  read  every  history  written,  and 
pick  out  every  fact  against  that  hook,  (Mormon)  and 
when  you  look  into  it  you  will  find  them  all  false.” 

This  was  the  mode  of  reasoning  adopted  by  a  man 
of  extra  intelligence  for  a  Mormon.  I  have  talked 
with  dozens  of  this  sort,  and  no  matter  how  clear  on 
everything  else,  they  seem  to  go  wild  in  their  logic 
when  Mormonism  was  touched  upon.  “  Do  you  ac¬ 
tually  believe,”  I  asked  an  old  lady,  “  that  the  earthly 
paradise  will  be  in  Jackson  County,  Missouri?”  “Oh, 
yes,”  she  said,  “for  the  Lord  pointed  out  the  exact 
place  to  Joseph,  and  said  that  Zion  should  never  be 
moved,  and  all  the  people  of  America  who  do  not  re¬ 
pent  will  be  destroyed  now  in  a  few  years,  so  there  will 
be  but  one  man  for  seven  women.  Those  are  the  very 
words,  and  everything  Joseph  and  Isaiah  (!)  said  has 
turned  out  just  exactly  as  they  said  it  would.” 

Such  are  the  ideas  impressed  upon  the  minds  of 
these  people.  Numbers  of  them  testify  in  the  most 
positive  manner  to  miraculous  cures  performed  upon 
themselves  or  their  friends,  simply  by  the  “  laying  on 
of  hands  ”  by  an  elder  or  bishop.  They  devoutly  be¬ 
lieve  that  Stephen  A.  Douglas  failed  politically,  because 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


301 


he  urged  vigorous  measures  against  the  Mormons,  and 
that  Frank  P.  Blair  is  sinking  for  the  same  reason. 
The  late  war  never  would  have  occurred,  they  think, 
if  Johnston’s  army  had  not  been  sent;  and  as  to  thrash¬ 
ing  the  United  States,  they  consider  it  will  be  a  mere 
“  breakfast  spell,”  when  things  get  in  the  right  fix,  and 
Brigham  gives  the  word.  At  his  command  they  would 
fight  the  world  in  arms,  or  quietly  give  up  their  all 
and  migrate  to  any  part  of  the  world  he  might  desig¬ 
nate.  The  most  of  this  class  will  stick  to  Mormonism 

4 

as  long  as  it  has  an  existence,  but  the  other  classes 
will  fall  away  whenever  it  is  to  their  interest  to  do  so. 

But  with  mere  moral  distinctions  the  Government 
and  people  of  the  United  States  have  little  to  do.  The 
patriot  and  statesman  will  ask  a  more  important  ques¬ 
tion  :  What  is  the  state  of  public  feeling  among  the 
Mormons ;  how  do  they  stand  affected  towards  the 
General  Government  ?  In  a  full  answer  many  in¬ 
fluences  are  to  be  considered.  It  must  be  remembered 
in  starting,  that  at  least  seven-eighths  of  all  these  people 
are  foreigners,  and  that  of  the  lowest  and  most  ignorant 
class;  that  they  came  direct  from  Europe  to  Utah,  and 
know  absolutely  nothing  of  the  States  and  their  people ; 
that  they  merely  have  Mormonism  grafted  on  to 
Europeanism,  and  cannot  be  expected  to  become 
nationalized  like  their  countrymen  who  settle  in  the 
East.  Whatever  distinctively  American  feeling  they 
have  must,  then,  be  looked  for  in  the  influences  there 
and  the  teachings  of  the  Church.  Those  influences 
and  teachings  are  all  anti-American.  Mormonism 
teaches  three  doctrines  directly  opposed  to  the  spirit  of 
the  Constitution  and  our  institutions. 


302  LIFE  IN  UTAH  5  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

1.  The  union  of  Church  and  State;  or  rather  the 
complete  absorption  of  the  state  in  the  church  ;  that  the 
former  is  a  mere  appendage  of  the  latter  for  convenience 
sake,  and  may  be  dropped  whenever  convenience  no 
longer  calls  for  a  stote  organization. 

2.  The  shedding  of  a  man’s  blood,  for  the  remission 
of  his  sins,  even  his  sins  against  the  Church.  This  is 
sometimes  denied  and  sometimes  advocated,  but  that  it 
is  a  doctrine  of  the  Mormon  Church  is  now  beyond  doubt. 
Brigham  openly  says  that  the  only  reason  why  it  is  not 
more  generally  advocated  is,  that  it  is  “  too  strong  a 
doctrine  for  the  weak  in  faith ;  the  people  are  not  fully 
prepared  for  it,”  etc.  Unwilling  to  leave  this  matter 
doubtful  in  any  mind,  I  clip  the  following  extracts 
from  published  sermons,  the  first  from  those  of  Jedediah 
M.  Grant,  delivered  in  the  Tabernacle : 

“  Brethren  and  sisters,  we  want  you  to  repent  and 
forsake  your  sins.  And  you  that  have  committed  sins 
that  cannot  be  forgiven  through  baptism,  let  your  blood 
be  shed ,  and  let  the  smoke  ascend ,  that  the  incense  thereof 
may  come  up  before  God,  as  atonement  for  your  sins, 
and  that  the  sinners  in  Zion  may  be  afraid.”  (. Deseret 
News ,  October  1,  1856.) 

a  We  have  been  trying  long  enough  with  these  people, 
and  I  go  in  for  letting  the  sword  of  the  Almighty  be 
unsheathed,  not  only  in  word,  but  in  deed.”  ( Ibid .) 

“  I  say  that  there  are  men  and  women  here,  that  I 
would  advise  to  go  to  the  President  immediately,  and 
ask  him  to  appoint  a  committee  to  attend  to  their  case, 
and  then  let  a  place  be  selected,  and  let  that  committee 
shed  their  blood.”  ( Deseret  News ,  September,  1856.) 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


303 


Which  was  endorsed  by  Brigham,  as  follows : 

“  There  are  sins  men  commit  for  which  they  cannot 
receive  forgiveness  in  this  world,  or  in  that  which  is 
to  come,  and  if  they  had  their  eyes  open  to  see  their 
condition,  they  would  be  perfectly  willing  to  have  their 
blood  spilt  upon  the  ground,  that  the  smoke  thereof 
might  ascend  to  heaven  as  an  offering  for  their  sins ; 
whereas,  if  such  is  not  the  case,  they  will  stick  to  them 
and  remain  upon  them  in  the  spirit  world.  I  know 
when  you  hear  my  brethren  talk  about  cutting  people 
off  from  the  earth,  you  consider  it  strong  doctrine.  It 
is  to  save  them,  not  to  destroy  them.  It  is  true  that 
the  blood  of  the  Son  of  God  was  shed  for  our  sins,  but 
men  can  commit  sins  which  it  can  never  remit. 

“  As  it  was  in  ancient  days,  so  is  it  in  our  day ;  the 
law  is  precisely  the  same.  There  are  sins  that  the 
blood  of  a  lamb  or  a  calf  cannot  remits  but  they  must 
be  atoned  for  by  the  blood  of  man.  That  is  the  reason 
why  men  talk  to  you  as  they  do  from  this  stand.  They 
understand  the  doctrine  and  throw  out  a  few  words 
about  it.”  (. Deseret  News ,  October  1,  1856.) 

This  is  “  sound  Mormon  doctrine,”  and  that  many 
have  been  sacrificed  under  it,  is  well  known  in  Utah. 
This  is  one  of  the  features  of  Mormonism  I  was  slow  to 
believe,  nor  did  I  credit  it  without  overwhelming  proof ; 
but  to  put  the  matter  beyond  doubt,  more  than  one 
prominent  Mormon  has  avowed  the  doctrine  to  me,  and 
defended  it  as  an  ordinance  of  God. 

Under  this  law  Potter,  and  the  Parish  family  of 
Springville,  were  murdered  when  attempting  to  leave 
the  Territory,  and  Potter  and  Wilson  of  Weber  Valley, 


304  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

were  assassinated  in  jail ;  under  the  same  law  the  Mor¬ 
mons  claim  the  right  to  slay  all  who  commit  adultery, 
“  or  violate  a  sanctified  oath/’  and  for  this  cause  Elder 
John  Hyde  was  compelled  to  flee  from  the  Territory, 
while  his  friends  Margetts  and  Cowdy,  were  followed 
several  hundred  miles  and  barbarously  murdered. 

3.  The  third  anti- American  feature  of  Mormonism  is 
the  complete  subserviency  and  mental  slavery  of  woman, 
not  as  to  polygamy  alone,  though  that  is  an  outgrowth, 
but  in  everything. 

Their  theology  teaches  that,  “  as  Eve  led  Adam  out 
of  Paradise,  he  must  lead  her  back,”  and  though  they 
hesitatingly  admit  that  she  may  secure  “a  salvation” 
without  man’s  help,  she  cannot  secure  “an  exaltation.” 
She  must  have  a  husband  “to  lead  her  into  the  presence 
of  God,  and  introduce  her  to  that  husband’s  glory.” 
“She  will  not  necessarily  go  to  hell,  because  she  is 
single,  but  she  never  can  rise  to  the  first  glory.”  Such 
an  atrocious  and  un-Christian  idea  can  have  but  one 
tendency,  to  make  woman  merely  a  creature  for  man’s 
convenience  and  pleasure.  Hence,  all  our  American 
ideas  of  dower,  partition,  equal  descent,  and  woman 
holding  land  in  fee  apart  from  her  husband,  are  un¬ 
known  to  the  laws  of  Utah.  Everything  a  woman 
possesses  at  marriage  becomes  absolutely  the  property 
of  her  husband.  The  feminine  interest  is  nowhere  pro¬ 
vided  for,  and,  in  looking  over  their  laws,  if  they  have 
any  Common  Law  at  all,  it  seems  to  be  a  transcript  of 
that  which  prevailed  in  the  time  of  James  I.  The 
further  we  pursue  the  investigation  the  more  this  ten¬ 
dency  appears,  till  it  is  plain  to  be  seen  there  is  none 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


305 


of  wliat  we  call  Americanism  tliere.  The  spirit  exists 
neither  in  their  birth,  training  nor  religion.  To  them 
Brigham  is  the  Government,  and  Utah  is  America. 
They  know  no  other,  and  consider  it  the  height  of 
presumption  for  the  United  States  authorities  to  claim 
the  right  to  rule  over  them.  True,  they  claim  to  be 
true  Americans,  just  as  the  Abyssinians  claim  to  be  true 
Christians,  while  it  is  evident  neither  understand  their 
own  words. 

But  there  is  another  curious  fact  bearing  on  their 
views.  On  the  25th  of  December,  1832,  Joseph  Smith 
delivered  a  remarkable  prophecy,  detailing  what  was  to 
happen  to  America  for  her  “persecution  of  the  Saints.” 
It  was  published  in  The  Seer ,  a  Mormon  periodical  in 
Washington  City,  of  April,  1854,  from  which  I  copy : 

“War  ! 

“Verily  thus  saith  the  Lord  concerning  the  wars 
that  will  shortly  come  to  pass,  beginning  at  the  rebel¬ 
lion  of  South  Carolina,  which  will  eventually  terminate 
in  the  death  and  misery  of  many  souls.  The  days  will 
come  that  wars  will  be  poured  out  upon  all  nations, 
beginning  at  that  place ;  for,  behold,  the  Southern  States 
shall  be  divided  against  the  Northern  States;  and  the 
Southern  States  will  call  upon  other  nations,  even  the 
nation  of  Great  Britain,  as  it  is  called,  and  they  shall 
also  call  upon  other  nations,  in  order  to  defend  them¬ 
selves  against  other  nations;  arid  thus  war  shall  be 
poured  out  upon  all  nations.  And  it  shall  come  to 
pass,  after  many  days,  slaves  shall  rise  up  against  their 
masters,  who  shall  be  marshaled  and  disciplined  for 
20 


306  LIFE  IN  UTAH  ;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

war.  And  it  will  come  to  pass,  also,  that  the  remnant 
which  are  left  of  the  land*  shall  marshal  themselves 
and  shall  become  exceedingly  angry,  and  shall  vex  the 
Gentiles  with  a  sore  vexation.  And  thus,  with  the 
sword  and  by  bloodshed,  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth 
shall  mourn,  and  with  famine  and  plague  and  earth¬ 
quakes,  and  the  thunder  of  heaven,  and  the  fierce  and 
vivid  lightning,  also,  shall  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth 
be  made  to  feel  the  wrath  and  indignation  and  chasten¬ 
ing  hand  of  an  Almighty  God,  until  the  consumption 
decreed  hath  made  an  end  of  all  nations ;  that  the  cry 
of  the  Saints  and  of  the  blood  of  the  Saints  shall  cease 
to  come  up  into  the  ears  of  the  Lord  of  Sabaoth,  from 
the  earth,  to  be  avenged  of  their  enemies.  Wherefore 
stand  ye  in  holy  places,  and  be  not  moved  until  the 
day  of  the  Lord  come ;  for,  behold,  it  cometh  quickly, 
saith  the  Lord  !  Amen.” 

It  will  be  perceived  that  of  the  thousand  predictions 
in  relation  to  our  civil  war,  Joseph’s  was  among  the 
most  shrewd,  and  certainly  hit  on  two  or  three  very 
curious  things.  But  he  met  with  the  difficulty  commoti 
to  all  prophets  in  these  days,  when  he  ran  into  particu¬ 
lars  he  missed  it  seriously.  With  the  benevolent  de¬ 
sign  of  saving  the  country,  Joseph  offered  himself  for 
President,  but  as  he  was  rejected,  of  course  the  evil  is 
bound  to  come.  With  the  Mormons  this  is  the  grand 
prophecy.  War  is  to  go  on,  they  say,  till  nearly  all 
the  men  in  the  Union  are  killed,  and  'then  the  Saints 
are  to  return  and  set  up  “  Zion  ”  in  Jackson  County, 

Missouri;  and  the  faithful  who  have  meanwhile  gath- 
~ 


*  The  Indians. 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


307 


ered,  are  to  possess  the  whole  land,  and  be  husbands  to 
all  the  widows  and  fathers  to  all  the  orphans.  Then  is 
to  come  the  time  mentioned  by  Isaiah,  when  “  seven  wo¬ 
men  shall  take  hold  of  one  man,”  and  agree  to  earn  their 
own  support,  if  they  only  may  “  be  called  by  his  name 
to  take  away  their  reproach,”  which  reproach,  of  course, 
is  childlessness ;  or,  commercially  speaking,  women  will 
be  at  a  heavy  discount,  and  men  at  600  per  cent,  pre¬ 
mium. 

As  near  as  I  can  determine  there  have  been  about 
ten  thousand  commentaries  written  and  preached  on 
this  prophecy  ;  for  the  varying  circumstances  of  every 
year,  and  almost  every  week,  require  new  elucidations 
of  the  way  it  is  all  to  come  about.  The  war,  of  course, 
settled  it  all  for  awhile ;  but  that  stopped  so  suddenly, 
they  maintain  it  must  soon  break  out  again,  and  several 
of  their  commentators  concluded  the  last  Presidential 
election  would  signal  its  re-opening.  What  folly  for 
any  people  to  pretend  fealty  to  an  institution  which  they 
claim  is  going  to  eternal  smash  in  ten  years  at  the  most. 

It  is  a  law  of  mind  that  what  we  prophecy  often  we 
soon  come  to  wish  for  ;  and  if  there  were  no  other  cause, 
the  tendency  of  all  their  preaching  and  prophesying  is 
to  make  them  look  eagerly  for  the  downfall  of  our 
Government.  It  is  a  prime  principle  in  their  creed  that 
all  mankind  hut  themselves  are  on  the  swift  road  to 
ruin,  and  they  are  never  so  well  pleased  as  in  listening 
to  statements  in  regard  to  “  the  great  increase  of  crime 
and  immorality  in  the  States.”  I  could  not  make  one 
of  them  angry  quicker  than  by  persistently  arguing  that 
the  highest  degree  of  prosperity  prevails  in  the  East  to- 


308  LIFE  m  UTAH;  OK,  THE  MYSTERIES 

day,  and  my  best  friends  were  ready  to  knock  me  down 
at  the  statement  that  there  were  still  more  men  than 
women  in  the  United  States. 

I  showed  them  from  the  census  that  the  men  were 
in  a  majority  of  730,000  in  1860 ;  that  by  immigration 
we  gained  several  hundred  thousand  more  men  than 
women,  and  did  not  lose,  at  the  outside,  more  than 
700,000  in  the  war.  They  maintained  that  by  au¬ 
thentic  (?)  Southern  histories,  we  lost  in  battle  one 
million  rebels  and  two  million  Yankees !  How  easy  to 
make  men  believe  what  they  wish.  All  the  “  persecu¬ 
tions  ”  these  people  talk  so  much  of,  were  caused  by 
Southerners  and  Democrats,  and  yet  they  are  all  rebel 
sympathizers  and  pro-slavery  politicians.  They  talk 
loud  and  long  of  their  loyalty,  when  there  is  anything 
to  be  gained  by  it;  but  send  there  a  Federal  judge  or 
officer,  who  refuses  to  be  Brigham’s  tool,  and  you  soon 
hear  their  real  feelings  toward  the  Union.  Just  now 
they  are  only  waiting,  watching  a  few  weeks  or  months 
till  all  shall  go  to  destruction  in  the  States,  when  they 
will  return  and  occupy  their  terrestrial  heaven — Jackson 
County,  Missouri.  Thus  this  vast  mass  of  ignorance 
has  been  wrought  upon  and  moulded  by  a  few  leaders, 
till  the  people  are  ready  for  any  desperate  enterprise 
those  men  may  direct.  The  common  people,  two-thirds 
of  them  at  least,  are  naturally  peaceable,  too ;  but  they 
are  so  terribly  priest-ridden,  that  their  best  qualities  are 
as  dangerous  as  other  men’s  worst. 

Like  the  poor  of  all  lands,  they  are  constant  in  their 
attachments ;  but  with  the  favorites  they  have  chosen, 
their  constancy  is  a  vice  rather  than  a  virtue.  No 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


309 


doubt  a  very  large  number  would  apostatize  rather  than 
suffer  ;  but  half  of  them  are  so  rooted  and  grounded  in 
their  faith,  they  will  blindly  follow  their  leaders,  what¬ 
ever  course  they  take. 

There  are  no  free  schools  in  Utah,  and  no  organized 
systems  of  instruction  ;  nevertheless  the  social  and  in¬ 
tellectual  condition  of  the  people  is  far  superior  to  what 
it  was  ten  or  even  five  years  ago.  There  is  a  general 
prejudice  against  the  learned  professions,  particularly 
medicine ;  and  a  general  feeling  that  the  Saints  are 
above  the  necessity  of  such  knowledge — which  idea  is 
summed  up  by  Brigham  Young  in  these  words  :  “  Study 
twenty  years  in  the  world’s  knowledge,  and  God  Al¬ 
mighty  will  give  the  poorest  Saint  more  knowledge  in 
five  minutes  than  you  get  in  all  that  time.”  In  this 
social  view,  it  were  an  endless  task  to  mention  all  the 
thousand  forms  of  popular  error,  the  belief  in  witch¬ 
craft,  dreams,  evestra ,  ghostly  fancies  and  “  faith-doc¬ 
toring  ”  which  prevail  among  them  ;  but  it  is  worthy  of 
remark  that  there  is  certainly  no  other  place  in  America 
where  retrograde  ideas,  as  they  might  be  called,  pre¬ 
vail  so  extensively  as  in  Utah.  Nine-tenths  of  the 
Saints  seem  to  have  taken  up  one  common  wail  about 
everything  outside  of  Utah.  Whether  it  is  to  persuade 
themselves  that  they  are  really  better  than  other  men, 
or  to  console  themselves  at  the  thought  of  others’  mis¬ 
ery,  it  seems  to  be  their  meat  and  drink  to  denigrate 
the  character  of  the  rest  of  mankind.  They  take  up 
the  wailing  jeremiad  that  there  is  so  much  more  crime 
in  the  country  than  formerly ;  that  people  generally  are 
so  much  more  dishonest ;  that  there  are  so  few  virtuous 


310  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

women ;  that  the  country  is  rapidly  going  to  decay ; 
that  religion  has  lost  its  power ;  that  all  political  action 
is  wrong,  slavery  ought  never  to  have  been  abolished, 
and  nothing  should  have  been  done  as  it  has  been  for 
the  last  twenty-five  years.  To  quote  history  or  statis¬ 
tics  to  the  contrary  would  be  no  proof  at  all  to  them  • 
they  regard  all  such  as  “  Gentile  lies.”  And  thus,  in 
the  supreme  belief  that  they  alone  are  “  in  the  ark  of 
safety,”  they  confidently  wait  for  the  66  great  tribulation” 
which  is  now  about  due ;  while  thousands  of  them  fully 
expect  to  live  to  see  the  time  when  the  American  na¬ 
tion  shall  be  a  thing  of  the  past,  and  Macaulay’s  New 
Zealander  shall  “  sit  on  London  Bridge  and  muse  on 
the  decline  and  fall  of  the  British  Empire.” 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


311 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

ANALYSIS  OF  MORMON  THEOLOGY. 

Its  origin — A  theologic  conglomerate — Mythology,  Paganism,  Moham¬ 
medanism,  corrupt  Christianity  and  Philosophy  run  mad—  “  First  prin¬ 
ciples  of  the  Gospel” — The  five  points  of  variance — Materialism — No 
spirit — A  god  with  “body,  parts  and  passions” — Matter  eternal — No 
“  creation  ” — Intelligent  atoms— Pre-existent  souls — High  Times  in  the 
Spirit  Worlds — Birth  of  Spirits— They  hunt  for  “Earthly  Tabernacles” 
— The  “Second  Estate  ’’—Apotheosis — The  “  Third  Estate  ” — “  Fourth 
Estate” — Men  become  gods — “Divine  generation” — Earthly  Families 
and  Heavenly  Kingdoms — Did  Man  come  from  the  Sun? — “Building 
up  the  Kingdom  ” — One  day  as  a  thousand  years — The  time  of  the  Gen¬ 
tiles  about  out — Great  events  at  hand — “  Gog  and  Magog,”  et.  al. — 
Gentiles,  prepare  to  make  tracks  — Return  to  “Zion,”  in  Missouri — 
Christ’s  earthly  empire— Great  destiny  for  Missouri — Tenets  from  Chris¬ 
tianity — Baptism  a  “  Saving  Ordinance  ” — Baptized  twelve  times — Office 
of  the  Holy  Ghost — Strange  fanaticism — Eclectic  Theology— A  personal 
god — The  homoousian  and  the  homoiousian — The  Logos  and  the  Aeon — 

Grossness  and  Vulgarity. 

✓ 

In  their  origin,  the  Mormons  may  be  said  to  have 
been  an  offshoot  from  the  Campbellites ;  Sidney  Rigdon, 
the  author  of  their  early  doctrines,  having  originally 
left  the  Baptists  to  join  the  former  sect,  from  which  he 
again  seceded  and  founded  a  sect  in  Ohio,  locally  known 
as  “  Disciples.”  Of  this  band  a  portion  went  crazy  as 
Millenarians,  another  part  became  Perfectionists,  and 
the  remainder  followed  Rigdon  when  he  joined  his 
fortunes  with  those  of  Joe  Smith,  and  assisted  in  found¬ 
ing  Kirtland,  Ohio.  Under  the  early  teachings  of  Brig¬ 
ham  Young  they  adopted  the  Methodist  order  of  services. 


312  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

Their  missionaries  when  abroad,  at  present,  first  preach 
principles  very  similar  to  those  of  the  Cainpbellites ; 
and  what  the  Mormons  call  “  the  first  principles  of  the 
gospel  ”  are  mainly  those  of  that  sect.  But  it  is  the 
smallest  part  of  Mormon  theology  which  has  its  origin 
in  any  recognized  Christian  system ;  and  by  the  succes¬ 
sive  additions  of  Rigdon,  Joe  Smith,  and  Brigham 
Young,  the  laborious  philosophical  speculations  of 
Orson  Pratt,  and  the  wild  poetical  dreams  of  his 
brother  Parley  P.  Pratt,  it  may  well  be  said  there  is 
scarcely  a  known  system  of  religion,  ancient  or  modern, 
but  has  contributed  some  shred  of  doctrine  toMormonism. 

It  is  now  beyond  the  power  of  man  to  invent  a  new 
religion.  At  this  late  day  combination  is  all  that  is 
left  for  the  innovator,  and  the  doctrinal  points  of  Mor- 
monism  are  culled  from  three  different  sources,  viz. : 

I.  Christianity,  by  a  literal  interpretation  of  the 
Bible,  particularly  the  prophecies. 

II.  Ancient  mythology  and  various  modern  forms  of 
pagan  philosophy. 

III.  The  philosophical  speculations  of  various  schools; 
the  whole  modified  and  practicalized  by  revelation  ap¬ 
plied  to  events  of  daily  occurrence.  . 

Thus  has  grown  up  a  vast  and  cumbrous  system 
which  is  the  standard  Mormon  theology,  but  of  which 
each  individual  Mormon  believes  so  much  or  so  little 
as  he  can  comprehend.  It  were  an  endless  task  to 
pursue  these  doctrines  through  all  the  variations,  neces¬ 
sary  to  force  some  sort  of  agreement,  and  the  lifeless 
application  of  perverted  texts  of  Scripture.  But  the 
distinctive  points  in  which  they  differ  from  all  Christian 
sects  may  be  grouped  under  five  heads : 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


313 


I.  Pure  materialism ;  but  slightly  different  from  the 
atomic  materialism  of  the  Greek  school. 

II.  The  eternity  of  matter. 

*  III.  Pre-existence  of  the  soul,  and  transmission  of 
spirits. 

IV.  A  plurality  of  gods. 

Y.  A  plurality  of  wives,  or  “  celestial  marriage.” 

All  these  are  blended  in  various  ways,  and  depend 
upon  each  other  in  a  score  of  combinations  and  con¬ 
fused  inter-relations;  but  as  far  as  possible  they  are 
treated  of  separately. 

I.  The  Mormons  hold  that  there  is  no  such  thing  as 
spirit  distinct  from  matter ;  that  spirit  is  only  matter 
refined,  and  that  spirits  themselves  are  composed  of 
purely  material  atoms,  only  finer  than  the  tangible 
things  of  earth,  as  air  is  finer  and  more  subtle  than 
water,  while  both  are  equally  material.  66  The  purest, 
most  refined  and  subtle  of  all  is  that  substance  called 
the  Holy  Spirit.  This  substance,  like  all  others,  is  one 
of  the  elements  of  material  or  physical  existence,  and 
therefore,  subject  to  the  necessary  laws  which  govern 
all  other  matter.  'Like  the  other  elements  its  whole 
is  composed  of  individual  particles.  Each  particle 
occupies  space,  possesses  the  power  of  motion,  requires 
time  to  move  from  one  part  of  space  to  another,  and 
can  in  nowise  occupy  two  places  at  once,  in  this  re¬ 
spect  differing  nothing  from  all  other  matter.  It  is 
widely  diffused  among  all  the  elements  of  space;  under 
the  control  of  the  Great  Eloheim  it  is  the  moving 
cause  of  all  the  intelligences,  by  which  they  act.  It  is 
omnipresent  by  reason  of  the  infinitude  of  its  particles, 


314  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

is  the  controling  element  of  all  others  and  comprehends 
all  things.  By  the  mandate  of  the  Almighty  it  per¬ 
forms  all  the  wonders  ever  manifested  in  the  name  of 
the  Lord.  Its  inherent  properties  embrace  all  the  al > 
tributes  of  intelligence  and  affection.  In  short  it  is  the 
attributes  of  the  eternal  power  and  Godhead.”* 

Gods,  angels,  spirits  and  men,  the  four  orders  of 
intelligent  beings,  are  all  of  one  species,  composed  of 
similar  materials,  differing  not  in  kind  but  in  degree. 
God  is  a  perfected  man ;  man  is  an  embryotic  or  unde¬ 
veloped  god.  Orson  Pratt  has  pursued  this  doctrine  to 
its  wildest  ultimate,  and  proves  to  his  own  satisfaction 
that  every  original  atom  was  endowed  with  a  self-act¬ 
ing,  independent  intelligence,  and  they  merely  “got 
together”  of  their  own  volition.  Thus  in  the  attempt 
to  avoid  the  supposed  mystery  of  an  instantaneous  cr ca¬ 
tion  by  the  one  God,  he  has  raised  an  infinity  of  un¬ 
solved  problems  by  making  every  atom  a  god. 

II.  The  eternity  of  matter  is  a  logical  outgrowth  of 
materialism.  In  this  view  every  atom  now  in  being 
has  existed  from  all  eternity  past  and  will  exist  for  all 
eternity  to  come.  There  never  could  have  been  a 
“  creation,”  except  to  appropriate  “  matter  unformed  and 
void,”  and  change  its  form,  impressing  new  conditions 
upon  it. 

New  worlds  are  constantly  being  formed  of  the  un¬ 
appropriated  material  of  the  universe,  and  stocked  with 
spirits,  after  which  faithful  Saints  rule  over  them  and 
become  gods . 

*  The  quotations  in  this  chapter  are  from  Parley  P.  Pratt’s  “Key 
to  Theology,”  a  standard  work  among  the  Mormons,  and  by  them 
considered  as  inspired. 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


315 


III.  Closely  allied  with  the  last  principle  is  that  of 
the  pre-existence  of  souls ;  and  here  we  first  meet  with 
the  sexual  principle  which  underlies  all  the  remaining 
portion  of  Mormonism.  All  the  sexual  passions  exist 
in  full  force  in  the  different  worlds,  and  animate  the 
immortal  gods  as  fully  as  their  human  offspring.  Count¬ 
less  millions  of  spirits  are  thus  born  in  the  eternal  worlds, 
and  are  awaiting  by  myriads  the  physical  processes  by 
which  they  may  enter  earthly  tabernacles  and  begin 
their  second,  or  probationary  state.  “  Wisdom  inspires 
the  gods  to  multiply  their  species,”  and  as  these  spiritual 
bodies  increase,  fresh  worlds  are  necessary  upon  which 
to  transplant  them.  These  spiritual  bodies  have  all  the 
organs  of  thought,  speech  and  hearing,  in  exact  simili¬ 
tude  to  earthly  senses.  But  in  this  state  they  could 
not  advance ;  it  was  necessary  for  them  to  be  subject 
to  the  moral  law  of  earth  that  regeneration  might  go  on. 
Hence  they  “seek  earnestly  for  earthly  tabernacles, 
haunting  even  the  abodes  of  the  vilest  of  mankind  to 
obtain  them.”  To  bestow  these  tabernacles  is  the  high¬ 
est  glory  of  woman,  and  her  exaltation  in  eternity  will 
be  in  exact  proportion  to  the  number  she  has  furnished. 
Man  may  preach  the  gospel,  may  reach  the  highest 
glories  of  the  priesthood,  may  in  time  even  be  a  creator; 
but  woman’s  only  road  to  glory  is  by  the  physical  pro¬ 
cess  of  introducing  spirits  to  earth.  Hence  the  larger 
her  family  the  greater  her  glory ;  any  means  to  prevent 
natural  increase  are  in  the  highest  degree  sinful,  and 
violent  means  an  unpardonable  sin. 

Of  these  spirits  it  is  intimated  some  “  did  not  keep 
their  first  estate,”  and  are  to  be  thrust  down  and  never 


316  LIFE  IN  UTAH  ;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

permitted  to  have  earthly  tabernacles  or  propagate  their 
species.  Those  who  reach  this  earth  are  in  their 
“  second  estate,”  and  if  faithful  Saints  will  pass  to  their 
“  third  estate,”  celestialized  men,  after  which  they  be¬ 
come  gods. 

IV.  There  is  a  vast  multitude  of  gods,  dispersed 
throughout  all  the  worlds  as  kingdoms,  families  and 
nations.  There  is,  however,  but  one  god  regnant  on 
each  world,  who  is  to  the  inhabitants  of  that  world  the 
“  only  true  and  living  God.”  But  each  god  having  a  first 
born  son,  there  is  “One  God  and  One  Christ”  to  each 
world.  Thus  “  there  are  lords  many  and  gods  many,”  but 
to  us  there  is  but  one  God,  the  Creator  of  the  world  and 
the  Father  of  our  spirits,  literally  begotten.  He  was  once 
a  man  of  some  world  and  attained  His  high  position  by 
successive  degrees.  “  He  is  the  Father  of  Jesus  Christ 
in  the  only  way  known  in  nature,  just  as  John  Smith, 
Senior,  is  the  father  of  John  Smith,  Junior.” 

All  the  gods  have  many  wives  and  become  the 
fathers  of  the  souls  of  men  by  divine  generation.  The 
gods  are  in  the  exact  form  of  men,  of  material  substance, 
but  highly  refined  and  spiritualized.  A  grand  council 
of  the  gods,  with  a  president  directing,  constitute  the 
designing  and  creating  power  ;  but  man,  if  faithful,  will 
advance  by  degrees  till  endowed  with  the  same  creative 
power,  or  strictly,  formative  will.  All  faithful  Saints 
will  become  gods  and  finally  have  worlds  given  them 
to  people  and  govern.  All  their  earthly  wives  and 
children  will  belong  to  and  constitute  the  beginning  of 
their  heavenly  kingdom,  and  they  will  rule  over  their 
increasing  posterity  forever. 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


317 


“  When  the  earth  was  prepared,  there  came  from  an 
upper  world  a  Son  of  God,  with  His  beloved  spouse, 
and  thus  a  colony  from  Heaven,  it  may  be  from  the* 
sun,  was  transplanted  on  our  soil.”  Joseph  Smith  is 
one  of  the  gods  of  this  generation  and  now  occupies  a 
high  position  next  to  Christ,  who  in  turn  stands  next 
to  Adam.  Above  Adam  is  Jehovah  and  above  Jehovah 
is  Eloheim,  who  is  the  greatest  god  of  whom  we  have 
any  knowledge.  His  residence  is  in  the  planet  Kolob, 
near  the  center  of  our  system,  which  revolves  upon  its 
axis  once  in  a  thousand  years,  which  are  “with  the 
Lord  as  one  day.”  There  were  six  of  our  days  in  the 
first  “creation”  of  this  world,  and  six  of  the  Lord’s  days  in 
the  great  preparation  or  course  of  the  world,  each  day 
lasting  a  thousand  years.  There  were  two  of  these 
days  to  each  dispensation.  The  Patriarchal  had  two 
of  these  days ;  the  Mosaic  in  like  manner  a  day  of  rise 
and  a  day  of  decline ;  the  Christian  dispensation  also 
had  its  two  days  of  trial,  but,  after  St.  J ohn’s  death,  a  great 
apostasy  began,  and  for  eighteen  hundred  years  the  so- 
called  Christain  world  has  been  in  darkness  and  there 
has  been  no  true  priesthood  upon  the  earth.  There 
have  been  no  visions,  revelations  or  miraculous  gifts 
from  the  Lord  enjoyed  among  men.  The  various  sects 
knew  something  of  the  truth  but  not  its  fullness ;  they 
had  the  form  of  godliness  but  denied  the  power- 

But  this  time  of  darkness  is  nearly  completed ;  the 
dawn  of  the  Lord’s  day  is  here,  and  the  great  Sabbath 
will  soon  be  ushered  in.  But  a  few  more  years  are 
given  to  the  Gentiles,  then  the  great  contest  of  Gog  and 
Magog  will  set  in,  and  nearly  all  the  Gentile  world  be 


318  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

destroyed.  Those  who  remain  will  become  servants  to 
the  Saints,  who  will  return  and  possess  the  whole  land ; 
the  Avidows  will  come  begging  the  Mormon  elders  to 
marry  them,  and  seven  women  will  lay  hold  of  one 
man.  At  the  same  time  the  remnant  left  of  the  In¬ 
dians,  who  are  descendants  of  the  ancient  Jews,  will 
be  converted,  have  the  curse  removed  and  become  “  a 
fair  and  delightsome  people.”  The  way  will  be  opened 
to  the  remainder  t>f  the  “  ten  lost  tribes,”  who  are  shut 
up  somewhere  near  the  North  Pole ;  old  Jerusalem  will 
be  rebuilt  by  all  the  Jews  gathering  to  the  Holy  Land, 
and  about  the  year  1890,  the  new  Jerusalem  will  be  let 
down  from  God  out  of  Heaven  and  located  in  Jackson 
County,  Missouri,  with  the  corner-stone  of  the  Great 
Temple  “  three  hundred  yards  Avest  of  the  old  court¬ 
house  in  Independence,”  where  is  to  be  the  capital  of 
Christ’s  earthly  kingdom.  The  Saints  will  OAvn  all  the 
property  of  the  country,  and  marry  all  the  Avomen  they 
desire ;  the  streets  of  their  city  Avill  be  paved  with  the 
gold  dug  by  Gentiles  from  the  Rocky  Mountains ;  noxious 
insects  will  be  banished,  contagious  diseases  cease,  the 
land  produce  abundantly  of  grain,  flower  and  fruit,  and 
everything  will  be  lovely  in  the  neAV  Jerusalem ! 

Leaving  the  reader  to  smile  or  regret,  as  personal 
temperament  may  incline,  I  hasten  to  a  consideration 
of  the  Mormon  tenets  nominally  derHed  from  the 
Christian  Bible.  The  Mohammedan  portion  of  their 
faith  and  practice  is  reserved  for  the  two  succeeding 
chapters. 

The  Mormons  steadily  claim  the  Bible  as  the  first 
foundation  of  their  belief ;  •  that  they  “  believe  all  that 


V 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


319 


any  Christians  do,  and  a  great  deal  more.”  Their  tenets 
most  nearly  resembling  those  of  Christian  sects,  and 
which  they  call  the  “  First  principles  of  the  Gospel,” 
are  four  in  number,  ranked  in  order  of  time,  as  follows  : 

1.  Faith,  2.  Repentance,  3.  Baptism  by  immersion, 
and  4.  Laying  on  of  hands  for  the  remission  of  sins,  and 
the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  They  are  explained  at 
great  length  in  the  “  Doctrines  and  Covenants,” '  the 
New  Testament  of  Mormonism.  This  book  is  made  up 
of  revelations,  “  selected  (!)  from  those  of  Joseph  Smith,” 
and  the  doctrinal  lectures  of  various  elders,  particularly 
Sidney  Rigdon,  with  an  addition  containing  the  rules 
and  discipline  of  the  Church.  The  “  Lectures  on  faith 
and  repentance  ”  contain  nothing  more  than  is  familiar 
to  every  attendant  on  the  worship  of  Arminian  sects. 
Baptism  the  Mormons  regard  as  “  a  saving  ordinance,” 
of  actual  and  material  value  ;  and  to  such  an  extent  do 
they  carry  this  doctrine,  that  they  baptize  again  and 
again,  after  every  backsliding,  and  sometimes  when 
there  has  been  a  period  of  “  general  coldness  ”  in  the 
Church.  At  the  time  known  in  Mormon  annals  as  the 
“  Reformation,”  when  it  was  supposed  the  Lord  had  sent 
drouth  and  grasshoppers  to  punish  their  backsliding, 
every  adult  member  of  the  Church  was  re-baptized. 
Nearly  all  the  old  members  have  been  baptized  two  or 
three  times  each,  and  Brigham  Young,  in  one  of  his 
sermons,  mentions  an  old  reprobate  who  had  been  bap¬ 
tized  no  less  than  twelve  times,  and  “  cut  off  thirteen 
times  for  lying,”  Brigham  himself,  who  was  then 
much  addicted  to  liquor,  seems  to  have  fallen  under  the 
power  of  his  enemy  soon  after  uniting  with  the  Church, 


320 


LIFE  m  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 


thus  rendering  re-baptism  necessary ;  and  a  quiet  joke 
is  current  among  the  less  reverent  Saints,  to  the  effect 
that  a  noted  Jew,  named  Seixas,  then  connected  with  | 
the  Mormons,  jocosely  proposed  to  “  leave  him  in  over 
night.” 

But  the  fourth  tenet  opens  to  view  the  whole  of  their 
divergence  from  Christian  sects.  The  prime  principle 
in  their  faith  which  marks  this  departure  is,  that  the 
office  of  the  Holy  Ghost  had  been  unknown  on  earth 
from  the  death  of  the  last  Apostle  to  the  calling  of 
Joseph  Smith;  tha/t  the  “ mystic  power”  mentioned  by 
St.  John,  had  warred  with  the  Saints  and  overcome 
them ;  that  the  true  priesthood  was  then  taken  from 
the  earth,  and  men,  blindly  seeking  the  truth,  divided 
into  six  hundred  and  sixty-six  sects,  “  the  number  of 
the  beast,”  each  having  a  little  truth,  but  none  holding 
it  in  purity. 

Joseph  Smith,  earnestly  calling  upon  the  Lord  to 
know  which  of  the  sects  was  in  the  right,  was  told  that 
all  were  alike  gone  astray,  and  was  himself  ordained  by 
heavenly  messengers,  first  to  the  Aaronic  and  after¬ 
wards  to  the  Melchisedec  priesthood.  Thenceforth  the 
Holy  Ghost  was  to  be  given  to  all  true  believers ;  the 
“  witness  of  the  spirit  ”  was  to  be  an  absolute  certainty, 
and  all  who  had  truly  embraced  the  new  gospel  were 
“to  know  for  themselves,  and  without  a  shadow  of 
doubt”  that  it  was  true.  How  strange  and  yet  how 
natural,  this  constant  seeking  by  man  for  certainty  as 

to  the  affairs  of  the  unseen  world  !  Hundreds  of  times 

-<• 

I  have  listened  to  the  testimony  of  individual  Mormons  : 
“You  believe  you  are  right — I  know  this  religion  is 
true.  We  have  a  witness  no  other  people  can  have — 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


321 


the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  .  In  the  old  churches  we 
always  had  our  doubts  ;  now  we  know  the  correctness 
of  this  doctrine.”  Thus  for  a  season.  But  man  was 
not  made  for  such  absolutism ;  it  is  folly  to  seek  a  per¬ 
fect  certainty  in  that  which  is  from  its  very  nature  in¬ 
tangible  and  uncertain,  and  it  will  often  be  found  that 
the  wildest  and  most  unreasoning  faith  has  the  most, 
obstinate  devotees.  It  is  sufficient  comment  upon  the 
above  “  testimony,”  to  state  the  facts  that  no  church  ever 
organized  has  developed  so  many  factions  in  so  short  a 
time  as  Mormonism ;  that  the  original  organization  has, 
from  time  to  time,  given  rise  to  twenty-five  sects,  of 
which  half-a-dozen  are  still  in  existence ;  that  of  all  who 
have  ever  embraced  Mormonism,  over  seventy  per  cent, 
have  apostatized,  and  that  at  the  present  writing,  two 
powerful  schisms  are  raging  in  the  very  bosom  of  the 
Church. 

At  the  same  time  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  all  the  “  gifts  ” 
of  the  first  Church  were  to  be  restored  •  prophecy,  heal¬ 
ing,  miracles,  speaking  in  tongues  and  the  interpretation 
of  tongues  were  to  accompany  the  new  gospel  and  be 
its  powerful  witnesses  among  men.  Hence,  all  the 
miracles  which  have  followed  the  Latter-day  work. 
The  Mormons  are  fond  of  quoting  that  text  where  all 
power  is  given  to  the  Church?  and  the  enumeration  of 
gifts  with  the  statement,  “  These  signs  shall  follow 
;  them  that  believe.”  They  then  triumphantly  exclaim, 
“  Where  is  the  professed  Christian  Church  which  has, 
or  even  claims  these  gifts  ?  We  have  them  in  their' 
i  fullness,  and  this  is  our  testimony  that  we  are  truly  of 
(  the  Lord.”  As  far  as  human  testimony  can  prove  any- 
21 


322 


LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 


thing  on  such  a  subject,  they  prove  numerous  “  miracles  ” 
in  the  way  of  healing  various  ailments ;  but  I  have 
heard  of  none  that  cannot  be  readily  accounted  for  from 
the  effects  of  a  “  fervent  and  fooling  faith.”  The  most 
common  ec  miracle  ”  is  the  cure  of  rheumatism  and  neu¬ 
ralgia  by  “  laying  on  of  hands,”  and  anointing  with 
holy  oil.  The  general  rule  of  the  Church  is  to  send 
for  the  nearest  elders  and  bishops  as  soon  as  a  Saint  is 
taken  sick ;  they  “  lay  on  hands,”  and  anoint  the  pa¬ 
tient  with  66  consecrated  oil,”  rubbing  it  briskly  on  the 
parts  most  affected.  If  the  patient  grows  worse,  other 
dignitaries  are  sent  for,  more  vigorous  prayers  are  offered 
up,  and  strenuous  efforts  made  to  arouse  the  “  healing 
virtue ;  ”  but  generally  a  physician  is  the  last  resort,  a 
religious  prejudice  prevailing  to  some  extent  against 
the  profession.  A  resident  physician  of  Salt  Lake  City 
informed  me  that  he  was  once  called  to  see  a  woman  in 
labor,  who  had  been  suffering  for  twenty-four  hours, 
and  was  literally  “  greased  from  head  to  foot  with  the 
consecrated  oil.”  It  proved  to  be  a  very  simple  and  by 
no  means  unusual  case,  which  he  relieved  in  a  few 
minutes,  at  the  very  time  the  attendant  women  were 
emptying  a  large  horn  of  “  consecrated  oil  ”  upon  the 
patient’s  head  ;  the  relief  was  followed  by  loud  praises 
of  the  efficacy  of  the  “  holy  oil,”  and  the  woman  is  now 
a  firm  witness  of  the  “  miracle.” 

“  Speaking  in  tongues  ”  is  not,  as  one  would  naturally 
suppose,  the  gift  of  speech  in  the  vernacular  of  various 
nations,  such  as  attended  the  pentecostal  season.  That 
would  be  altogether  too  linguistic  and  practical  for  these 
latter  days.  It  consists  merely  of  uttering  a  rapid  sue- 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


323 


cession  of  articulate  and  connected  sounds,  not  under¬ 
stood  by  the  speaker  himself,  but  which  are  explained 
by  some  one  haying  the  “  interpretation  of  tongues.” 
The  mode  is  for  the  person  who  thinks  himself  en¬ 
dowed  with  this  gift  to  “  stand  up,  call  upon  the  Lord 
in  silent  prayer  for  a  few  moments,  then  open  the  mouth 
and  utter  whatever  words  come  to  hand  and  the  Lord 
will  make  them  a  language.”  An  interpreter  will  then 
be  provided  and  the  hidden  meaning  made  plain  •  but 
no  person  ever  has  both  gifts. 

This  gift  prevailed  to  a  surprising  extent  among  cer¬ 
tain  fanatical  sects  in  England,  and  was  there  charitably 
attributed  to  an  abnormal  condition  of  the  organs  of 
language ;  but  here  is  more  naturally  accounted  for 
either  by  imposture  or  the  effects  of  a  wild  fanaticism. 
I  heard  it  but  once,  and  then  merely  repeated  by  a  de¬ 
voted  Mormon  as  he  had  heard  the  “  gifted  ”  deliver  it, 
and,  in  a  philological  inquiry,  I  should  pronounce  it  a 
cognate  branch  of  that  “dog-latin”  which  belongs  to 
the  erudition  of  school-boy  days.  This  exercise  is  a 
little  too  ridiculous,  even  for  the  Mormons  at  present, 
and  is  rarely  heard  of ;  but  in  the  early  years  of  their 

Church  it  was  a  frequent  occurrence,  whole  days  of 

* 

“ speaking  meetings”  being  devoted  to  it.  An  old 
apostate,  who  was  in  the  Church  at  Nauvoo,  tells  me 
of  having  been  present  at  one  of  those  meetings  where 
the  first  doubts  began  to  arise  in  his  mind  in  regard  to 
his  new  faith.  Having  formerly  been  a  trader  among 
the  Choctaws,  he  suddenly  arose  and  delivered  a 
lengthy  speech  on  hunting  in  the  language  of  that 
tribe,  which  the  interpreter  rendered  into  a  glowing  and 


324  LIFE  IN  UTAH  ;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

florid  account  of  the  glories  to  result  from  the  comple- 
tion  of  the  Great  Temple,  then  in  progress.  Lieutenant 
Gunnison,  in  his  admirable  work,  gives  an  account  of 
one  lad  who  had  become  so  noted  in  the  “  interpretation 
of  tongues”  that  he  was  generally  called  upon  by  the 
elders  in  the  most  difficult  cases,  and  seems  to  have 
felt  under  obligation  to  give  some  sort  of  rendering  and 
meaning  to  any  speech,  however  crude  or  whimsical. 
On  one  occasion,  a  woman,  with  the  “  gifts  of  tongues,” 
suddenly  rose  in  the  meeting,  and  shouted,  “  0  mela , 
meli ,  melee !  ”  The  boy  was  at  once  pressed  for  an  in¬ 
terpretation,  and  promptly  gave  the  rendition,  “  0  my 
leg,  my  thigh,  my  knee !  ”  He  was  cited  before  the 
Council  for  his  profanity,  but  stoutly  maintained  that 
his  interpretation  was  “according  to  the  spirit,”  and 
was  released  with  an  admonition. 

Miss  Eliza  Snow,  the  Mormon  poetess,  was  particu¬ 
larly  “gifted”  in  tongues;  and,  according  to  the  account 
of  young  Mormons,  now  apostatized,  she  was  accus¬ 
tomed  often  during  their  early  journeyings,  to  rush 
into  the  dwelling  of  some  other  woman,  exclaiming : 
“  Sister,  I  want  to  bless  you !  ”  lay  her  hands  upon  the 
other’s  head,  and  pour  forth  a  strain  of  confused  jargon, 
which  was  supposed  to  be  a  blessing  in  the  “unknown 
tongue.”  Such  are  the  various  “gifts,”  and  to  a  people 
less  blinded  by  fanaticism,  their  practical  effects  among 
the  Mormons  would  be  sufficient  to  disprove  the  claim 
for  their  divine  origin.  To  mention  but  one :  it  is  evi¬ 
dent  to  any  intelligent  observer  that  numerous  deaths 
occur  annually  in  Salt  Lake  City  simply  from  a  disre¬ 
gard  of  hygienic  laws  and  a  lack  of  proper  medical 


.  AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM.  325 

treatment,  with  a  blind  reliance  upon  treatment  by 
“faith ;”  and,  notwithstanding  their  splendid  climate, 
the  death-rate  of  the  Mormons  is  unusually  large 
from  those  very  classes  of  disease  for  which  any  intel¬ 
ligent  physician  can  afford  immediate  relief.  It  is  a 
remarkable  fact  that  more  women  die  in  child-birth  in 
Salt  Lake  City  than  in  any  other  of  the  same  size  in 
America,  and  that  for  many  years  the  death-rate  of 
infants  was  only  exceeded  by  one  Southern  State, 
Louisiana. 

So  much  for  their  theology  as  it  relates  to  earth ;  I 
have  not  been  able  to  discover  the  exact  source  of  their 
ideas  of  heaven.  They  hold  that  there  are  three  hea¬ 
vens  :  the  celestial,  terrestrial  and  telestial,  typified  by 
the  sun,  moon  and  stars.  The  last  two  are  for  those 
who  have  neither  obeyed  nor  disobeyed  the  gospel; 
some  because  they  did  not  hear  it,  others  from  “  invin¬ 
cible  ignorance,”  and  still  others  because  they  were 
morally  hindered  in  various  ways.  To  one  or  the  other 
of  these  heavens  all  sincere  people  of  whatever  race  or 
creed,  who  have  never  heard  the  Gospel,  but  followed 
the  light  they  had,  will  be  admitted,  and  there  enjoy 
as  much  happiness  as  they  are  capable  of.  But  if  they 
have  once  heard  the  true  Gospel  and  refused  to  obey  it? 
have  persecuted  the  Saints  or  apostatized  and  lost  the 
spirit  of  God,  “  this  testimony  will  go  with  them  through 
all  eternity,  and  they  can  never  enter  a  rest.”  Their 
final  destinv,  however,  is  not  revealed  to  mortals.  Wo- 
man,  in  and  of  herself,  could  never  progress  to  the 
highest  place,  “  As  Eve  led  Adam  out  of  the  garden  he 
must  lead  her  back.”  If  she  wilfully  remain  single  and 


326  LIFE  IN  UTAH  ;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

slights  the  great  duty  imposed  upon  her,  she  is  useless  in 
the  economy  of  creation,  and  therefore  is  condemned. 
But  many  special  provisions  are  made  for  the  really 
worthy  of  both  sexes,  by  which  the  living  may  vica¬ 
riously  atone  for  the  dead  who  never  heard  the  Gospel. 
Baptism  for  the  dead,  and  marriage  for  the  dead,  are 
chief  among  these  means.  The  former  they  found 
upon  St.  Paul’s  writings,  and  under  its  provisions  the 
Saint  is  often  baptized  for  some  relative  who  died  many 
years  before  in  Europe,  or  for  some  eminent  personage. 
George  Washington,  Benjamin  Franklin  and  Thomas 
Jefferson  are  thus  vicariously  Members  of  the  Mormon 
Church. 

The  celestial  heaven  is  theirs  only  who  have  both 
heard  and  obeyed  the  Gospel.  In  that  happy  state  they 
enjoy  all  that -made  this  life  desirable;  they  eat,  drink 
and  are  merry ;  they  are  solaced  by  the*  embraces  of 
their  earthly  wives,  and  many  more  will  be  given  them  ; 
all  material  enjoyments  will  be  free  from  the  defects 
of  earth,  and  pleasures  will  never  pall.  In  time  the 
most  faithful  will  become  gods. 

u  They  will  ever  look  upon  the  elements  as  their 
home ;  hence  the  elements  will  ever  keep  pace  with 
them  in  all  the  degrees  of  progressive  refinement, 
while  room  is  found  in  infinite  space : 

“  While  there  are  particles  of  unorganized  element  in 
nature’s  store- house : 

“While  the  trees  of  paradise  yield  their  fruits,  or  the 
fountain  of  life  its  river  : 

“  While  the  bosoms  of  the  gods  glow  with  affection. 
While  eternal  charity  endures,  or  eternity  itself  rolls 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


327 


its  successive  ages,  the  heavens  will  multiply,  and  new 
worlds  and  more  people  be  added  to  the  kingdom  of  the 
Fathers.” 

But  there  is  still  another  class  of  persons  who  do  not 
quite  live  up  to  their  privileges,  and  yet  deserve  a 
salvation.  Unmarried  men  and  women,  and  those 
guilty  of  various  derelictions  make  up  this  class. 
They  will  never  progress,  but  be  angels  merely ;  mes¬ 
sengers  and  servants  to  those  worthy  of  greater  glory ; 
and  “  bachelor  angels”  only,  with  no  families,  and  com¬ 
pelled  to  go  through  eternity  without  a  mate. 

Amusement  and  disgust  possess  us  by  turns  as  we 
pursue  these  blasphemous  speculations  in  regard  to  the 
employment  of  the  gods ,  or  the  vain  attempt  to  supply 
those  points  of  knoweldge  which  Infinite  Wisdom  has 
left  unrevealed.  In  this  attempt  the  Mormons  might 
well  be  styled  eclectic  theologians.  They  are  Chris¬ 
tians  in  their  belief  in  the  New  Testament,  and  the 
mission  of  Christ;  Jews  in  their  temporal  theocracy, 
tithing  and  belief  in  prophecy;  Mohammedans  in  re¬ 
gard  to  the  relations  of  the  sexes,  and  Youdoos  or 
Fetichists,  in  their  witchcraft,  good  and  evil  spirits, 
faith  doctoring  and  superstition.  From  the  Boodhists 
they  have  stolen  their  doctrines  of  apotheosis  and 
development  of  gods  ;  from  the  Greek  mythology  their 
loves  of  the  immortals  and  spirits ;  they  have  blended 
the  ideas  of  many  nations  of  polytheists,  and  made  the 
whole  consistent  by  outdoing  the  materialists.  In  the 
labor  of  harmonizing  all  this  with  Christianity,  there  is 
scarcely  a  schism  that  has  ever  rent  the  Christian 
world,  but  has  furnished  some  scraps  of  doctrine. 


328  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

They  are  Arians  in  making  Christ  a  secondary  being  in 
the  Godhead — “  the  greatest  of  created  things  and  yet 
a  creature they  are  Manicheans  in  their  division  of 
the  universe  between  good  and  evil  spirits,  and  Gnostics 
in  their  gross  ascription  of  all  human  indulgences  and 
enjoyments,  even  polygamy,  to  the  Saviour.  Of  the 
modern  sects,  they  have  the  order  of  service,  “  ex¬ 
perience  meetings  ”  and  “  witness  of  the  spirit  ”  of  the 
Methodists ;  the  “  first  principles  ”  of  the  Campbellites, 
and  the  “  universal  suffrage”  of  the  Presbyterians; 
while  their  views  on  baptism,  the  66  perseverance  of 
the  Saints/'  backsliding  and  restoration,  read  like  a 
desperate  attempt  to  combine  the  doctrines  of  the 
Campbellites,  Methodists,  and  Cumberland  Presby¬ 
terians.  Finally,  they  are  Millenarians  in  their  speedy 
expectation  of  Christ’s  earthly  reign ;  almost  Uni- 
versalists  in  the  belief  that  a  very  small  portion  of 
mankind  will  finally  fail  of  any  heaven ;  Spiritualists 
in  their  faith  that  the  unseen  powers  produce  special 
and  actual  visible  effects  on  earth,  though  by  natural 
laws,  and  Communists  in  their  system  of  public  works. 
But  it  is  in  regard  to  the  personality  and  life  of  Christ 
that  their  ideas  seem  most  strange  and  blasphemous. 
They  hold  that  He  was  the  literally  begotten,  that  he 
had  five  wives  while  upon  earth,  two  of  whom  were 
Martha  and  Mary,  and  thus  actually  violated  the  law 
under  which  He  lived ;  at  the  same  time  they  vaguely 
unite  the  views  of  the  Greek  and  Latin  Fathers,  hold¬ 
ing  Him  both  the  Logos  and  the  Aeon ,  the  Mediator 
and  the  God-man. 

The  question  which  for  five  centuries  agitated  the 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


329 


early  Church  as  to  the  personality  of  Christ,  the  homo 
ousian  and  the  homoiousian ,  the  “  same  substance  ”  or 
the  “  similar  substance/’  can  have  no  place  in  their 
theology ;  they  have  boldly  evaded  it  by  obliterating 
all  distinction,  either  in  form,  substance  or  develop¬ 
ment,  between  God  and  man ;  both  are  alike  material 
and  differ  only  in  degree.  Met  at  the  outset  by  the 
difficulty  of  comprehending  God,  they  simplified  it  by 
making  their  Deity  a  “perfected  man.”  This  part  of 
their  theology,  then,  as  far  as  it  is  the  result  of  earnest 
and  sincere  thought  on  the  part  of  its  devotees,  merely 
presents  itself  to  my  mind  as  another  one  of  the  ten 
thousand  schemes  of  man  to  get  away  from  that  dogma 
which  must  be  received  on  faith,  simply  because  it  is 
utterly  beyond  the  grasp  of  finite  reason.  For  nearly 
two  thousand  years  the  Christian  Church  has  presented 
for  the  world’s  acceptance  a  Being,  not  all  of  earth,  not 
all  of  heaven,  yet  perfect  earth  and  perfect  heaven ;  has 
asked  the  world  to  believe  in  the  God-Man,  the  Divine- 
Human,  the  humanly  inexplicable  mystery  of  “  God 
made  manifest  in  the  flesh.”  But  man  is  unable  of  his 
awn  reason  alone  to  receive  this  truth ;  and  there  is  an 
intense  desire  in  the  natural  mind  to  know  more  of  God 
and  hidden  things  personally,  to  see  or  hear  them  face  ’ 
to  face.  Man  would  pry  into  the  hidden  mysteries  of 
Providence,  which  we  are  told  “  the  angels  desired  to 
(look  into  and  were  not  able;”  at  the  same  time  the 
parnal  mind  is  unwilling  to  use  the  appointed  means 
whereby  only  this  knowledge  may  be  obtained;  to 
study  the  written  Word,  to  do  the  works  therein  com¬ 
manded,  and  rise  to  that  degree  of  moral  purity  by 


» 

330  LIFE  IN  UTAH J  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

which  alone  his  conception  of  unseen  things  can  be 
heightened  and  made  harmonious.  He  would  be  gross, 
sensual  and  earthy;  and  at  the  same  time  comprehend 
the  pure  and  heavenly.  The  two  are  incompatible. 
Hence,  dissatisfied  with  his  own  condition  and  without 
the  moral  energy  to  amend  it,  discontented  with  the 
truth  offered  yet  unwilling  to  take  the  required  course 
to  gain  more  truth,  he  seeks  for  some  shorter,  easier 
way,  some  method  more  consonant  with  a  corrupt 
nature,  to  satisfy  his  mind  and  perhaps  quiet  an 
awakened  conscience.  This  natural  feeling  of  the 
human  mind  is  seized  upon  by  impostors,  sometimes 
“  the  man  with  a  purpose,”  and  sometimes  the  dupe  of 
their  own  fancies;  and  hence  from  age  to  age  the  ten 
thousand  short  lived  sects,  diverging  now  to  the  in¬ 
tensely  material  and  again  to  the  ultra  spiritual,  but 
still  departing  from  the  great  central  line  of  the  Church. 

In  our  own  day,  Spiritualism  complains  that  the 
Church  is  too  material,  too  earthy  and  secular;  that 
man  finds  therein  no  supply  for  the  wants  of  his  spirit¬ 
ual  nature,  and  they  seek  therefor  a  corrective :  the 
Mormons,  diverging  to  the  opposite  extreme,  complain 
that  the  Church  is  too  speculative  and  mystical,  too 
%  much  given  up  to  the  vague  and  intangible;  that  their 
God  “ without  body,  parts  or  passions”  is  too  far  re¬ 
moved  from  human  sympathy,  and  for  this  they  would 
find  a  corrective  in  the  most  intense  materialism.  And 
this  reaction  once  begun,  the  only  limit  or  law  to  filthy 
imagination,  is  the  range  or  power  of  human  fancy. 
The  gross  familiarity  with  which  fanatics  of  all  kinds 
speak  of  the  Supreme  Being,  the  Mormon  claim  of  the 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


331 


office  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  their  polygamy,  incest  and 
blood  atonement,  are  a  necessary  and  logical  result  of 
this  degrading  conception  of  spiritual  things.  Nowhere 
through  the  long  detail  of  their  tenets  is  purity  taught 
or  hinted  at.  It  is  all  pure  selfishness,  mere  grossness, 

I  sexualism  deified  and  the  domain  of  the  senses  made 
the  empire  of  the  universe.  The  Being,  in  whose  sight 
“the  heavens  are  not  clean,”  who  “put  no  trust  in  His 
servants  and  charged  His  angels  with  folly,”  who  is  far 
above  all  taint  of  earthliness,  has  no  place  in  such  a 
system.  They  have  degraded  the  human  conception 
of  Deity,  till  He  has  become  in  their  minds  “  altogether 
such  a  one  as  themselves.”  The  heathen  philosophers 
of  two  thousand  years  ago,  with  only  the  unaided  light 
of  reason,  were  infinitely  their  superiors;  and  Plato’s 
Deity  is  as  much  more  worthy  of  our  adoration  than 
Brigham’s,  as  the  loftiest  conceptions  of  a  refined  and 
virtuous  philosopher  are  above  the  impure  imaginations 
of  a  sensualist. 


332 


LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

THEORETICAL  POLYGAMY - ITS  HISTORY. 

\ 

Poetry  of  religious  concubinage — Fanaticism  and  Sensualism — Two  ex¬ 
tremes — Origin  of  Polygamy — The  great  revelation — Its  contradictions 
and  absurdities— Mormon  argument — Real  origin — Beginning  of  Polyg¬ 
amy — A  prostitute  for  religion’s  sake — Failures  and  Scandals — War  in 
the  Church — Stealing  a  Brother’s  wife — Furore  in  consequence — The 
Expositor — Its  destruction — Death  of  the  Smiths — Polygamy  practiced 
secretly  and  denied  openly — Brigham’s  marriages — Nine  years  of  con¬ 
cealment — Avowal  at  last — Argument  in  its  favor — Demoralization  in 
the  English  Church — A  climax  of  unnatural  obscenity — The  “Refor¬ 
mation”—^ Temporary  decline  in  Polygamy — Hostility  of  native  Mor¬ 
mon  girls  — Outside  influence — Difference  of  opinion — It  dies  hard — 
Spiritual  wives — Mystery  and  abomination. 

The  occasional  references  hitherto  in  regard  to  “  Pre¬ 
existence  of  the  soul,”  66  Sexual  resurrection,”  “  Progress 
in  eternity”  and  “  Generation  of  the  gods,”  have  pre¬ 
pared  the  reader  somewhat  for  special  consideration  of 
polygamy;  but  it  is  necessary  also  to  look  into  its 
earthly  history,  and  the  reasons  urged  for  its  origin  and 
continuance.  And  in  these  reasons  we  are  surprised  to 
find  how  captivating  a  veil  of  religious  fancy  may  be 
thrown  over  an  institution  naturally  and  inherently 
vile.  Gross  forms  of  religious  error  seem  almost  in¬ 
variably  to  lead  to  sensuality,  to  some  singular  perversion 
of  the  marriage  relation  or  the  sexual  instinct ;  probably 
because  the  same  constitution  of  mind  and  temperament 
which  gives  rise  to  the  one,  powerfully  predisposes  toward 
the  other.  The  fanatic  is  of  logical  necessity  either  an 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


333 


ascetic  or  a  sensualist;  healthy  moderation  is  foreign 
alike  tb  his  speculative  faith  and  social  practice.  He 
either  gives  full  rein  to  his  baser  propensities  under 
the  specious  name  of  66  Christian  liberty,”  or  with  a  little 
more  conscientiousness,  swings  to  the  opposite  extreme 
and  forbids  those  innocent  gratifications  prompted  by 
nature  and  permitted  by  God.  Of  the  former  class  are 
the  Mormons,  Noyseites  of  Oneida,  the  Antinomians, 
and  the  followers  of  St.  John  of  Leyden;  of  the  latter 
the  Shakers,  Harmonists,  monks  and  nuns,  and  a  score 
of  orders  of  celibate  priests. 

The  Mormons  are  particular  to  declare  that  they 
never  would  have  practical  polygamy,  except  in  accord¬ 
ance  with  an  express  revelation  from  God  ;  and  though 
they  occasionally  defend  it  on  various  physiological  and 
scriptural  grounds,  they  always  fall-back  upon  the  ex¬ 
press  command.  This  re  velatktf® ^am^to  have  been 
given  at  Nauvoo,  Illinois,  July  was  first 

published  in  the  Deseret  News  Dxtra^  '* 

1852,  and  next  in  the  April  number, 
lenniai  Star ,  Liverpool,  Engla^||^3>t^(%biiiained  at 
full  length  in  Burton’s  “  City  of-AM^aafit^  and  many 
other  publications.  It  is  too  loi^'!an^,  discursive  to 
quote  entire,  and  I  sectionize  it  lof  convenient  reference. 

1.  The  revelation  opens  with  this  remarkable  state¬ 
ment,  the  Lord  represented  as  speaking : 

“  Yerily,  thus  saith  the  Lord  unto  you,  my  servant 
Joseph,  that  inasmuch  as  you  have  inquired  at  my  hand 
to  know  wherein  I,  the  Lord,  justified  my  servants 
Abraham,  Isaac  and  Jacob;  as  also  Moses,  David  and 
Solomon,  my  servants,  as  touching  the  principle  and 


mber  14, 
of  the  Mil- 


334  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

doctrine  of  their  having  many  wives  and  concubines ; 
behold,  and  lo,  I  am  the  Lord  and  will  answer  thee  as 
touching  this  matter,”  etc. 

It  will  not  escape  notice,  that  as  here  stated  Joseph 
had  asked  the  Lord  about  the  matter.  We  cannot  hut 
wonder  whether  it  would  have  been  revealed  at  all, 
without  this  preliminary  questioning.  Many  good  Mor¬ 
mons  think  it  would  not,  and  Mormon  ladies  frequently 
express  a  pious  regret  that  the  Prophet  ever  asked 
about  it !  The  section  concludes  by  denouncing  dam¬ 
nation  upon  all  who  reject  the  new  gospel. 

2.  This  section  states  that,  “  All  covenants,  contracts, 
bonds,  obligations,  oaths,  vows,  performances,  connec¬ 
tions,  associations  or  expectations  that  are  not  made 
and  entered  into,  and  sealed  by  the  Holy  Spirit  of 
promise  of  him  who  is  anointed,”  are  void  in  eternity, 
and  only  good  for  this  world. 

It  sets  forth  also  with  great  verbosity  of  language, 
that  “  God’s  house,  is  a  house  of  order.” 

3.  The  same  principle  is  applied  to  the  marriage 
covenant,  stating  that  all  who  are  not  married  “  and 
sealed  according  to  the  new  and  everlasting  covenant,” 
are  married  for  this  world  only,  and  shall  not  be  en¬ 
titled  to  their  respective  partners  in  eternity,  but  shall 
continue  u  angels  only,  and  not  gods,  kept  as  ministers 
to  those  who  are  worthy  of  a  far  more  exceeding  and 
eternal  weight  of  glory.” 

4.  Description  of  the  future  glory  of  those  who  keep 
the  new  covenant :  “  Then  shall  they  be  gods  because 
they  have  no  end ;  there  they  shall  be  from  everlasting 
to  everlasting,  because  they  continue ;  then  shall  they 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM.  335 

be  above  all,  because  all  things  are  subject  unto  them. 
Then  shall  they  be  gods,  because  they  have  all  power, 
and  the  angels  are  subject  unto  them  .” 

5.  To  such  are  forgiven  all  manner  of  crimes,  ex¬ 
cept  murder,  “  wherein  they  shed  innocent  blood,”  and 
blasphemy  against  the  Holy  Ghost.  Apostasy,  be  it  no¬ 
ted,  is  the  worst  form  of  the  latter  sin. 

6.  This  section  explains  the  cases  of  Abraham  and 
other  ancient  polygamists  at  great  length,  concluding  by 
citing  David  as  an  example  of  how  men  lose  their  “  ex¬ 
altation  ”  by  abusing  their  privileges :  “  In  none  of 
these  things  did  he  sin  against  me,  save  in  the  case  of 
Uriah  and  his  wife,  and,  therefore,  he  hath  fallen  from 
his  exaltation  and  received  his  position ;  and  he  shall 
not  inherit  them  out  of  the  world,  for  I  gave  them  unto 
another,  saitlr  the  Lord.” 

7.  Great  power  is  conferred  upon  Joseph  Smith  to 
regulate  all  such  celestial  marriages,  punish  for  adultery, 
and  take  away  the  wives  of  the  guilty  and  give  them 
to  good  men. 

8.  This  section  gives  very  full  and  explicit  instruc¬ 
tions  to  Emma  Smith,  wife  of  Joseph,  how  to  conduct 
herself  under  the  new  dispensation ;  that  she  “  receive 
all  those  that  have  been  given  unto  my  servant  Joseph, 
who  are  virtuous  and  pure  before  me,”  and  threatening 
her  with  destruction  if  she  do  not. 

9.  The  revelation  changes  abruptly  and  gives  Joseph 
Smith  full  directions  how  to  manage  his  property ;  par- 
ticulary  “let  not  my  servant  Joseph  put  his  property 

>  out  of  his  hands ,  lest  an  enemy  come  and  destroy  him,” 
and  threatening  severely  all  who  injure  him. 


336  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

The  reader  familiar  with  the  old  Revised  Statutes  of 
Illinois,  would  be  surprised  to  find  the  Lord  talking  so 
much  like  a  Justice  of  the  Peace. 

10.  The  revelation  comes,  at  last,  to  the  gist  of  the 
matter  and  grants  plurality  of  wives,  in  these  words : 

66  And  again,  as  pertaining  to  the  law  of  the  priest¬ 
hood  :  If  any  man  espouse  a  virgin  and  desires  to  es¬ 
pouse  another,  and  the  first  give,  her  consent ;  and  if  he 
espouse  the  second,  and  they  are  virgins,  and  have 
vowed  to  no  other  man,  then  is  he  justified ;  he  cannot 
commit  adultery  for  they  are  given  unto  him ;  for  he 
cannot  commit  adultery  with  that  that  belongeth  unto 
him  and  to  none  else  ;  and  if  he  have  ten  virgins  given 
unto  him  by  this  law,  he  cannot  commit  adultery  for 
they  belong  to  him  and  are  given  unto  him ;  therefore 
is  he  justified.  They  are  given  unto  him  to  multiply 
and  replenish  the  earth  according  to  my  commandment, 
and  to  fulfil  the  promise  which  was  given  by  my 
Father  before  the  foundation  of  the  world;  and  for 
their  exaltation  in  the  eternal  worlds,  that  they  may 
hear  the  souls  of  men ;  for  herein  is  the  work  of  my 
Father  continued,  that  he  may  be  glorified.” 

11.  Heavy  punishment  is  threatened  to  all  women 
who  refuse,  without  good  cause,  to  give  their  husbands 
second  wives ;  concluding  as  follows :  “  And  now,  as 
pertaining  unto  this  law,  verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you, 
I  will  reveal  more  unto  you  hereafter ;  therefore,  let 
this  suffice  for  the  present.  Behold,  I  am  Alpha  and 
Omega.  Amen.” 

Such  is  the  revelation.  Space  fails  me  to  note  all  its 
contradictions  and  absurdities.  One,  however,  is  worthy 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


337 


of  special  remark.  In  the  eighth  section  Emma  Smith 
is  commanded  to  receive  lovingly  “  all  those  that  have 
been  given  unto  my  servant  Joseph.”  The  past  tense 
is  used.  Thus  the  first  revelation  authorizing  polygamy 
implies  that  Joseph  had  already  practiced  it.  Stranger 
still,  polygamy  is  expressly  forbidden  by  the  “  Book  of 
Mormon.” 

In  the  third  book  and  second  chapter  of  that  work, 
the  angel  messenger  is  represented  as  saying  to  the 
Nephites  :  “  But  the  word  of  God  burdens  me  because 
of  your  grosser  crimes.  For  this  people  begin  to  wax  in 
iniquity ;  they  understand  not  the  scriptures,  for  they 
seek  to  excuse  themselves  in  committing  whoredoms, 
because  of  the  things  that  were  written  concerning 
David  and  Solomon,  his  son.  They,  truly,  had  many 
wives  and  concubines  which  thing  was  abominable  be¬ 
fore  me,  saith  the  Lord,  wherefore,  hearken  unto  the 
word  of  the  Lord,  for  there  shall  not  any  man  among 
you  have  save  it  be  one  wife,  and  concubines  he  shall 
have  none,  for  I,  the  Lord  God,  delighteth  in  the 
chastity  of  women.” 

It  has  exhausted  all  the  ingenuity  of  Mormon  writers 
to  reconcile  this  passage  with  the  new  revelation,  but 
they  succeed  in  doing  so  sufficiently  to  satisfy  their  con¬ 
sciences.  The  Mormon  history  relates  that  when  the 
full  force  of  the  new  covenant  was  perceived  the 
Prophet  was  filled  with  astonishment  and  dread.  All 
the  traditions  of  his  early  education  were  overthrown, 
and  yet  he  felt  that  it  was  the  work  of  the  Lord.  In 
vain  he  sought  to  be  released  from  the  burden  of  com¬ 
municating  the  new  doctrine  to  the  world,  and  at  length 
22 


338  LIFE  IN  UTAH  ;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

obtained  permission  to  keep  it  secret,  as  yet,  from  all 
but  the  Twelve  Apostles,  and  a  few  other  leading  men. 
As  the  hour  approached  when  he  was  to  meet  them  in 
council,  horror  and  fear  of  what  might  be  the  result  over¬ 
came  him,  and  he  hastily  mounted  his  horse  and  fled 
from  the  city.  But  a  mighty  angel  met  him  on  the  road, 
stood  in  the  way  with  a  drawn  sword,  and  with  awful 
voice  and  offended  mien  bade  him  return. 

These  pretended  forebodings  were  fully  justified  by 
the  event,  for,  in  spite  of  the  secresy  maintained,  the 
matter  was  soon  bruited  abroad,  and  there  was  fearful 
commotion  in  “Zion.”  Old  Mormons  have  told  me  that 
when  they  first  heard  it  they  were  horror-stricken  at 
the  thought,  and  for  years  after  could  not  believe  the 
report. 

When  the  matter  was  first  broached  in  secret  council, 
William  Law,  First  Counselor  to  Joseph  Smith,  stood 
up  and  denounced  it  as  from  the  devil,  and  added :  “  If 
any  man  preaches  that  doctrine  in  my  family,  I  will 
take  his  life.”  This  Law  had  a  young  and  beautiful 
wife,  for  whom  Joseph  was  already  intriguing,  and  his 
final  success  with  her  and  attempt  to  get  her  divorced 
from  her  husband,  caused  the  latter  to  apostatize,  and 
had  no  small  share  in  bringing  on  the  difficulties  which 
resulted  in  Joseph’s  death. 

As  might  be  expected,  the  men  were  the  first  con  verts 
J oseph  and  a  few  others  began  soon  to  act  upon  their 
new  privileges.  Joseph  seems  to  have  been  pretty  suc¬ 
cessful,  and  soon  had  half-a-dozen  spiritual  wives,  though 
all  was  still  kept  secret.  While  soliciting  ladies  tc 
become  “sealed”  1 /.#  him,  he  made  several  unsuccessful 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


339 


attempts,  which  caused  great  scandal.  In  particular, 
his  doings  were  published  by  Miss  Martha  H.  Brother- 
ton,  who  immediately  withdrew  from  the  Church  ;  also 
by  Miss  Eliza  Bigdon,  daughter  of  Sidney  Kigdon,  Mrs. 
Foster,  and  Mrs.  Sarah  Pratt,  first  wife  of  Orson  Pratt. 

Great  was  the  fury  among  the  Saints  at  these  revela¬ 
tions,  and  every  epithet  a  vile  fancy  could  suggest  was 
heaped  upon  these  ladies,  for  what  were  styled  “  their 
perjured  lies  to  injure  the  Prophet.”  One  of  them  was 
forced  to  sign  a  written  retraction ;  another,  discarded 
and  denounced  by  her  Mormon  parents,  died  of  a  broken 
heart.  Miss  Brotherton  escaped  and  returned  to  Boston, 
while  Foster,  Higbee,  and  a  few  others,  whose  families 
had  been  insulted,  apostatized.  For  awhile  the  disso¬ 
lution  of  the  Church  seemed  imminent,  but  the  mingled 
boldness  and  hpyocrisy  of  the  Prophet  restored  some- 
I  thing  like  order,  and  polygamy  was  indignantly  de¬ 
nounced  and  repudiated. 

At  this  place  in  our  narrative,  having  given  the 
Mormon  account,  it  may  be  well  to  give  the  real  origin 
of  polygamy.  In  the  Mormon  archives  are  a  set  of 
phrenological  charts,  of  the  various  Mormon  leaders  at 
Nauvoo,  taken  by  a  prominent  professor.  In  the  chart 
of  Joseph  Smith’s  head,  in  a  scale  running  from  one  to 
twelve,  “  amativeness,”  or  sexual  passion,  is  recorded  at 
eleven ;  while  that  of  Bennett,  his  “  right  hand  man,” 
is  set  down  at  “  ten — very  full  /”  In  the  propensity 
which  these  are  held  to  indicate,  was  the  real  origin  of 
polygamy.  A  prominent  Mormon  says  that  Joseph 
Smith  informed  him  that,  as  early  as  1832,  he  had  pre¬ 
liminary  revelations  upon  the  subject ;  and  it  is  a  noto- 


340  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

rious  fact,  that  almost  from  the  first,  the  Prophet  had 
used  his  powers  of  fascination  to  triumph  over  the 
virtue  of  his  female  devotees,  and  had  anticipated  polyg¬ 
amy  in  accordance  with  revelation,  by  unauthorized 
promiscuous  intercourse.  His  intrigues  with  various 
women  had  involved  the  rising  sect  in  constant  trouble 
at  Kirtland  and  in  Missouri ;  and  by  the  sworn  testimony 
of  the  best  men  who  seceded  from  the  Mormons  in  Mis¬ 
souri,  the  Prophet  had  already  established  a  sort  of 
polygamy. 

Shortly  after  the  settlement  of  Nauvoo  also,  Sidney 
Rigdon  had  advanced  his  “  spiritual  wife  ”  doctrine, 
which  regular  Mormons  now  denounce  as  the  great 
mystery  of  abominations,  “  sent  by  the  devil  to  bring 
dishonor  upon  the  true  order  of  celestial  marriage.” 
Rigdon’s  theory  of  “  Spiritual  wifery,”  as  reported  by 
old  Mormons,  was  as  follows : 

In  the  pre-existent  state  souls  are  mated,  male  and 
female,  as  it  is  divinely  intended  they  shall  fill  the  mar¬ 
riage  relation  in  this  life ;  or,  in  more  poetic  phrase, 
“  marriages  are  made  in  heaven.”  But  in  the  general 
jumble  of  contradictions  and  cross-purposes  attending 
man  in  this  state,  many  mistakes  have  been  made  in 
this  matter ;  A.  has  got  the  woman  first  intended  for 
B.,  the  latter  has  got  C’s  true  mate,  and  thus  on,  utterly 
defeating  the  counsel  of  the  gods  in  the  pre-marriage 
of  the  spirits.  But  the  time  had  come  for  all  this  to 
be  set  right,  and  though  they  might  not  put  aside  their 
present  wives,  which  would  throw  society  somewhat 
out  of  gear,  yet  Smith  might  in  addition,  exercise  the 
privileges  of  husband  toward  Brown’s  wife  and  vice  versa . 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


341 


This  seems  to  have  been  merely  the  Mormon  version 
of  modern  “  free-loveism,”  and  from  recent  evidence  it 
is  quite  probable  it  also  was  practiced  to  some  extent 
in  Nauvoo,  thus  making  polygamy  equally  free  to  men 
and  women ;  but  it  is  quite  different,  in  theory  at  least, 
from  the  present  “  spiritual  wifeism  ”  of  the  Mormons,  • 
as  will  presently  appear. 

But  Higdon’s  doctrines  were  both  varying  and  dan¬ 
gerous,  and  he  lacked  the  faculty  of  concealment ;  so  he 
was  soon  condemned,  and  his  doctrines  with  him. 

As  the  first  open  hints  of  the  new  doctrine,  in  the 
autumn  of  1843,  excited  so  much  contention,  and  as 
the  indignation  of  the  people  of  Illinois  was  justly 
feared,  orders  were  given  to  all  the  traveling  elders  to 
persistently  deny  the  doctrine.  On  the  first  of  Febru¬ 
ary,  1844,  the  Times  and  Seasons ,  church  paper  at  Nau- 
voo,  contained  the  following : 

“  Notice  ! 

“  As  we  have  lately  been  credibly  informed,  that  an 
Elder  of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-Day 
Saints,  by  the  name  of  Hyrum  Brown,  has  been  preach¬ 
ing  Polygamy,  and  other  false  and  corrupt  doctrines,  in 
the  County  of  Lapeer,  and  State  of  Michigan  : 

“  This  is  to  notify  him  and  the  Church  in  general, 
that  he  has  been  cut  off  from  the  Church  for  his 
iniquity;  and  he  is  further  notified  to  appear  at  the 
Special  Conference,  on  the  6tli  of  April  next,  to  make 
answer  to  these  charges. 

Joseph  Smith, 

Hyrum  Smith, 

6  Presidents  of  the  Church.” 


342  LIFE  IN  UTAH  ;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

The  Gentiles  appear  not  to  have  been  well  enough 
posted  on  the  subject  to  pay  much  heed  to  the  “  Notice,” 
but  it  excited  no  little  commotion  among  the  Mormons, 
who  had  heard  or  received  reports  from  others  of  the 
doctrine ;  and  on  the  day  appointed  a  large  number  of 
the  disaffected,  and  a  few  resident  Gentiles,  were  present. 
Hyrum  Smith  arose  and  stated  that  “  great  reports  had 
been  bruited  about  of  schism  in  Zion,  and,  no  doubt, 
many  were  present,  hoping  to  witness  dissension  ;  but 
all  such  hopes  were  vain,  the  Lord  had  healed  all  back- 
slidings,  there  would  be  no  charges  made,  and  the  day 
would  he  spent  in  prayer  and  other  exercises and 
spent  it  was  accordingly.  Six  weeks  afterwards,  Hyrum 
found  it  necessary  to  write  as  follows : 

“Natjvoo,  March  15,  1844. 

“To  the  Brethren  of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of 
Latter-Day  Saints ,  living  on  China  Creek ,  in 
Hancock  County ,  Greeting  : 

“  Whereas,  Brother  Bichard  Hewett  has  called  on 
me  to-day,  to  know  my  views  concerning  some  doc¬ 
trines  that  are  preached  in  your  place,  and  states  to  me 
that  some  of  your  Elders  say,  that  a  man,  having  a  cer¬ 
tain  priesthood,  may  have  as  many  wives  as  he  pleases, 
and  that  doctrine  is  taught  here  :  I  say  unto  you  that 
that  man  teaches  false  doctrine ,  for  there  is  no  such 
doctrine  taught  here,  neither  is  there  any  such  thing 
practiced  here;  and- any  man  that  is  found  teaching 
privately  or  publicly  any  such  doctrine,  is  culpable,  and 
will  stand  a  chance  to  be  brought  before  the  High 
Council,  and  lose  his  license  and  membership  also; 
therefore  he  had  better  beware  what  he  is  about.” 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


343 


This  letter  will  also  be  found  in  the  5th  volume  of 

a 

the  Times  and  Seasons ,  page  474.  But  affairs  had  gone 
too  far ;  a  powerful  schism  broke  out  in  the  bosom  of 
the  Church,  and  William  Law,  Dr.  Foster,  Chauncey 
L.  Higbee,  Francis  M.  Higbee,  and  a  number  of  other 
apostates  commenced  preaching  openly  against  the 
Prophet,  and  established  at  Nauvoo  a  paper  called  the 
Expositor ,  devoted  to  making  war  upon  the  new  system.  ’ 
But  they  only  issued  one  number,  which  contained  six¬ 
teen  affidavits,  mostly  from  ladies,  setting  forth  the 
licentious  actions  of  Joseph  Smith  and  Brigham  Young. 
Joseph  was  at  that  time  not  only  Prophet,  Priest,  and 
Revelator,  but  also  Mayor  of  the  City  and  Major-Gen¬ 
eral  of  the  Nauvoo  Legion.  Such  a  daring  publication 
in  the  stronghold  of  his  power  was  not  to  be  tolerated. 
So  he  hastily  convened  the  City  Council,  who,  at  his 
suggestion,  declared  the  Expositor  a  “  public  nuisance,” 
and  ordered  that  it  be  “at  once  abated.”  The  City 
Marshal  and  his  posse  forthwith  attacked  the  office  and 
abated  it  in  the  literal  meaning  of  that  word,  and  in 
the  Mormon  fashion,  by  breaking  the  press  and  scatter¬ 
ing  the  type.  The  publishers  fled  for  their  lives,  and, 
proceeding  to  Carthage,  the  county-seat  of  Hancock 
County,  procured  warrants  against  several  Mormons, 
under  the  State  law  of  Illinois,  determined  to  test  the 
legality  of  such  extensive  jurisdiction  by  the  Council. 
Both  the  Smiths  were  finally  arrested  and  murdered  in 
jail,  as  more  fully  related  elsewhere. 

After  their  death  the  policy  of  concealment  was  con¬ 
tinued.  In  July,  1845,  Parley  P.  Pratt,  in  the  Millen¬ 
nial  Star ,  Mormon  publication  at  Liverpool,  England, 


344  LIFE  IN  UTAH  ;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

denounced  “  spiritual  wifery”  as  a  “  doctrine  of  devils 
and  seducing  spirits;  but  another  name  for  whoredom, 
wicked  and  unlawful  connection,  and  every  kind  of  cor¬ 
ruption,  confusion  and  abomination and  in  the  follow¬ 
ing  year  the  General  Conference  of  Europe  denounced 
both  the  doctrine  and  practice  in  the  strongest  terms. 
In  May,  1848,  the  Millennial  Star  called  for  the  ven¬ 
geance  of  heaven  on  all  the  liars  who  charged  “  such 
odious  practices  as  spiritual  wifeism  and  polygism” 
upon  the  Church  ;  ending  with  the  following  : 

“  In  all  ages  of  the  Church  truth  has  been  turned 
into  a  lie,  and  the  grace  of  God  converted  into  lascivi¬ 
ousness,  by  men  who  have  sought  to  make  ‘  a  gain  of 
godliness,’  and  feed  their  lusts  on  the  credulity  of  the 
righteous  and  unsuspicious.  *  *  *  Next  to  the  long- 
hackneyed  and  bug-a-boo  whisperings  of  polygism  is 
another  abomination  that  sometimes  shows  its  serpen¬ 
tine  crests,  which  we  shall  call  sexual  resurrectionism. 
*  *  *  *  The  doctrines  of  corrupt  spirits  are  always  in 
close  affinity  with  each  other,  whether  they  consist  in 
spiritual  wifeism,  sexual  resurrection,  gross  lascivious¬ 
ness,  or  the  unavoidable  separation  of  husbands  and 
wives,  or  the  communism  of  property.” 

In  July,  1850,  Elder  John  Taylor  held  a  discussion 
at  Boulogne,  France,  with  three  English  clergymen. 
They  quoted  from  the  anti- Mormon  works  then  just 
published  by  J.  C.  Bennett  and  J.  B.  Bowes,  which 
charged  polygamy  as  a  practice  of  the  Church;  to 
which  Taylor  made  the  following  reply:  “We  are 
accused  here  of  polygamy,  and  actions  the  most  indeli¬ 
cate,  obscene  and  disgusting,  such  that  none  but  a  cor- 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM.  . 


345 


rupt  heart  could  have  contrived.  These  things  are  too 
outrageous  to  admit  of  belief.  Therefore,  leaving  the 
sisters  of  the  ‘  white  veil’  and  the  ‘  black  veil/  and 
all  the  other  veils  with  those  gentlemen  to  dispose  of, 
together  with  their  authors,  as  they  think  best,  I  shall 
content  myself  by  reading  our  views  of  chastity  and 
marriage  from  a  work  published  by  us,  containing  some 
of  the  articles  of  our  faith.”  He  then  read  from  the 
“  Doctrines  and  Covenants ,”  which  was  adopted  in  full 
conference  the  year  after  Smith's  death ,  the  following : 

a  4.  *  *  *  lnasmuCh  as  this  Church  of  Christ  has 
been  reproached  with  the  crime  of  fornication  and 
polygamy ;  we  declare  that  we  believe  that  one  man 
should  have  one  wife ;  and  one  woman  but  one  hus¬ 
band,  except  in  case  of  death,  when  either  is  at  liberty 
to  marry  again.” 

The  italics  are  my  own.  As  a  specimen  of  Mormon 
reasoning,  it  may  here  be  added,  they  now  insist  that 
in  the  above  clause  “  one  wife  ”  really  meant  of  course 
“  one  or  more ;”  that  the  adversative  “  but  ”  was  added 
in  case  of  the  woman  to  cut  off  any  such  free  rendering 
in  her  case,  and  that  the  clause  was  so  worded  “  to 
specially  deceive  the  Gentiles  and  yet  tell  the  exact 
truth.”  They  further  add  that,  “  under  certain  circum¬ 
stances  the  Lord  allows  His  priesthood  to  lie  in  order  to 
save  His  people ;  it  would  not  do  to  give  strong  meat  to 
little  children ;  they  must  first  be  fed  with  milk,  and 
when  they  get  stronger  they  can  have  meat :  so  with 
the  truth,  they  must  be  taught  it  little  at  a  time.” 

The  foreign  Mormons  were  thus  kept  in  perfect 
ignorance  of  the  matter,  and  were  highly  indignant 


.  346  LIFE  IN  UTAH  ;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

when  the  charge  was  made ;  still,  as  it  was  practiced, 
reports  of  it  were  constantly  made  and  generally  be¬ 
lieved  throughout  the  United  States. 

Brigham  Young  soon  became  head  of  the  Church, 
and  took  for  his  second  wife  Lucy  Decker  Seely,  who 
had  previously  been  divorced  from  Doctor  Seely.  Not 
long  after,  at  their  winter  quarters  near  Council  Bluffs, 
Iowa,  he  married  Harriet  Cook,  whose  son,  Oscar 
Young,  is  the  first  child  in  polygamy.  He  is  now  a 
young  man  of  twenty-two  or  three,  bright,  active  and 
intelligent,  and  a  great  favorite  with  his  Gentile  friends,* 
though  a  little  to  be  dreaded  sometimes  on  account  of 
his  savage  temper  when  angry. 

This  marriage  was  followed  by  those  of  Clara  Decker, 
Clara  Chase,  Lucy  Bigelow,  Harriet  Bowker  and  Har¬ 
riet  Barney.  Mary  Ann  Angell  Young,  the  original 
wife  of  Brigham,  still  lives  in  a  house  of  her  own,  just 
back  of  the  Lion  house.  She  had  five  children — Brig- 
ham,  Joseph,  John,  Alice  and  Luna;  all  are  married 
and  living  in  Salt  Lake  City.  Brigham  was  at  first  a 
widower  and  the  two  daughters  of  his  first  wife,  now 
middle-aged  ladies,  are  both  married  and  living  in  Utah. 
A  few  years  after  leaving  Nauvoo,  Brigham  married 
Emmeline  Free,  who  was  for  many  years  his  favorite 
wife,  and  often  styled  among  Gentiles, 66  the  Light  of 
the  Harem.”  She  was  finally  discarded,  some  six 
years  ago,  for  Amelia  Folsom,  his  youngest  wife  and 
present  favorite.  It  is,  of  course,  impossible  to  tell 
with  exactness  the  number  of  his  wives,  but  those  best 
informed  place  them  at  twenty-three  actual  wives,  and 
fifty-one  spiritual.  Miss  Eliza  Boxy  Snow,  the  Mor- 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM.  347 

I  vbL 

mon  poetess,  is  one  of  bis  spiritual  wives,  or  “  proxy  ” 
women,  and  is  married  to  him  by  proxy  for  Joseph 
Smith,  of  whom  she  claims  to  have  been  the  first 
spiritual  wife. 

Meanwhile  the  Saints  had  become  firmly  fixed  in 
Utah,  where  it  seems  that  “  Gentiles,  their  laws  and 
mobs  would  annoy  no  more;’'  and  the  necessity  for 
concealment  no  longer  existed.  So  the  doctrine  was 
more  and  more  openly  discussed,  and  finally,  on  the 
29th  of  August,  1852,  it  was  publicly  announced  by 
Brigham  Young  in  a  meeting  at  Salt  Lake  City,  where 
the  revelation  was  for  the  first  time  publicly  read  and 
pronounced  valid.  The  sermons  in  its  favor,  by  Orson 
Pratt  and  Brigham  Young,  were  first  published,  to¬ 
gether  with  the  revelation,  in  the  Deseret  News ,  Extra 9 
of  September  14th,  1852.  From  Young’s  address  I  ex¬ 
tract  the  following : 

“  You  heard  Brother  Pratt  state,  this  morning,  that 
a  Revelation  would  be  read  this  afternoon,  which  was 
given  previous  to  Joseph’s  death.  It  contains  a  doc¬ 
trine  a  small  portion  of  the  world  is  opposed  to ;  but  I 
can  deliver  a  prophecy  upon  it.  Though  that  doctrine 
has  not  been  preached  by  the  Elders,  this  people  have 
believed  in  it  for  years. 

“  The  original  copy  of  this  Revelation  was  burnt  up. 
William  Clayton  was  the  man  who  wrote  it  from  the 
mouth  of  the  Prophet.  In  the  meantime  it  was  in 
Bishop  Whitney’s  possession.  He  wished  the  privilege 
to  copy  it,  which  brother  Joseph  granted.  Sister 
Emma  (wife  of  Joseph  Smith)  burnt  the  original.  The 
reason  I  mention  this  is,  because  that  the  people  who 


348  LIFE  IN  tJTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

did  know  of  the  Revelation,  supposed  it  was  not  now 
in  existence. 

“  The  Revelation  will  be  read  to  you.  The  principle 
•  spoken  upon  by  Brother  Pratt  this  morning,  we  be¬ 
lieve  in.  Many  others  are  of  the  same  mind.  They 
are  not  ignorant  of  what  we  are  doing  in  our  social 
capacity.  They  have  cried  out  proclaim  it ;  but  it  would 
not  do  a  few  years  ago ;  everything  must  come  in  its 
time,  as  there  is  a  time  for  all  things,  I  am  now  ready 
to  proclaim  it. 

“  This  Revelation  has  been  in  my  possession  for 
many  years ;  and  who  has  known  it?  None  but  those 
who  should  know  it.  I  keep  a  patent  lock  on  my 
desk,  and  there  does  not  anything  leak  out  that  should 
not.” 

The  people  of  Utah  w^ere  prepared  for  the  announce¬ 
ment,  but  polygamy  was  too  “  strong  doctrine  ”  for  Eu¬ 
rope,  and  when  first  published  there,  in  April,  1853,  it 
seemed  that  even  then  it  would  destroy  the  foreign 
Church.  In  England,  especially,  the  demoralization 
was  fearful ;  hundreds  after  hundreds  apostatized,  whole 
churches  and  conferences  dissolved ;  talented  knaves  in 
many  instances,  finding  in  this  the  excuse  for  going  off 
without  surrendering  the  money-bags  which  they  held. 
The  missions  entirely  disappeared  in  many  parts  of 
Europe,  and  even  in  America,  thousands  of  new  con¬ 
verts  who  had  not  gone  to  “  Zion,”  turned  away  and 
joined  the  Josephites,  Gladdenites,  Strangites,  and  other 
sects  of  recusant  Mormons. 

The  Millennial  Star  remained  silent  on  the  subject 
for  weeks  after  publishing  the  revelation,  coming  out  at 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


349 


length  with  a  feeble  defence  of  the  system,  from  the 
pen  of  J.  Jaques,  a  leading  Mormon  polemic.  The 
fact  was  the  people  did  not  understand  the  new  idea, 
they  did  not  see  the  spiritual  necessities  for  it ;  they 
had  so  far  believed  that  Mormonism  was  simply  an  ad¬ 
vance  in  Christianity,  and  could  not  feel  that  “  in  this 
the  fullness  of  time,  the  ancient  covenant  was  restored 
with  all  its  privileges.”  But  in  Utah  a  great  rush  was 
made  for  new  wives ;  old  men  traded  for  young  girls, 
and  the  new  order  was  hailed  as  the  great  crowning  joy 
and  privilege  of  believers.  Polygamy  continued  ex¬ 
tending  until  that  period  known  as  the  “  Reformation  ” 
in  1855-56,  when  the  whole  Church  was  re-baptized, 
and  a  new  point  of  departure  taken.  Then  the  new 
practice  seemed  for  awhile  to  reach  a  furious  climax 
of  unnatural  and  degrading  obscenity.  The  duty  and 
importance  of  polygamy  were  presented  every  Sunday ; 
hundreds  of  girls  of  only  twelve  or  thirteen  years  were 
forced  or  persuaded  into  its  practice ;  and  in  numerous 
instances  even  younger  girls  were  “  sealed  ”  to  old  rep¬ 
robates,  with  an  agreement  on  the  part  of  the  latter  to 
wait  until  the  girls  were  more  mature  and  suited  to  act 
the  part  of  wives.  Hundreds  of  instances  occurred 
which  would  be  utterly  incredible  at  present  were  they 
not  fully  proved  by  many  authentic  witnesses.  Old 
men  met  openly  in  the  streets  and  traded  daughters, 
and  whole  families  of  girls  were  married  to  the  same 
man.  This  was  the  period  when  polygamy  reached  its 
worst  manifestation,  and  bad  as  it  is  now,  gross  as  many 
of  its  features  still  are,  it  was  ten-fold  worse  then.  Wo¬ 
men  of  my  acquaintance  at  Salt  Lake  City,  who  were 


* 


350  LIFE  IN  UTAH  ;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

children  at  the  time,  have  told  me  of  occurrences  during 
that  period  which  would  indicate  an  almost  incredible 
reign  of  lust  and  fanaticism.  Divorce  also  became  so 
common  that  these  marriages  scarcely  amounted  to  more 
than  promiscuous  intercourse.  I  met  one  woman  who 
had  been  divorced  and  re-married  six  times,  and  an  old 
Mormon  once  pointed  out  to  me  a  woman  wrho  had 
once  been  his  wife,  and  had  been  divorced  and  re-mar¬ 
ried  nine  times.  In  numerous  instances  a  young  girl 
would  be  married  to  some  prominent  elder,  with  whom 
she  would  reside  a  few  months,  after  which  she  would 
be  divorced  and  married  to  another  and  again  to  another, 
“  going  the  rounds,”  as  the  phrase  was,  of  half  a  dozen 
priests. 

A  general  demoralization  seemed  to  seize  upon  the 
community ;  vulgarity  of  language,  both  in  public 
address  and  private  speech,  became  so  common  that 
thousands  of  Mormons  were  themselves  disgusted,  and 
a  reaction  set  in  against  such  excesses.  It  would  seem 
that  Brigham  also  became  alarmed  at  the  tendency, 
and,  as  he  had  been  greatly  annoyed  by  applications 
for  divorce,  commenced  exacting  a  heavy  fee  for  the 
service.  The  period  of  comparative  starvation  which 
followed,  during  the  winters  of  1856-7,  may  have  had 
something  to  do  with  checking  the  prevailing  tendency, 
but  certain  it  is,  there  has  been  no  such  general  license 
since. 

The  entrance  of  J ohnston’s  army,  too,  indirectly  pro¬ 
duced  a  great  effect ;  stage  and  mail  lines  wrere  fully 
established;  Utah  was  brought  into  much  closer  re¬ 
lations  with  the  rest  of  the  world,  a  considerable  Gentile 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


351 


influence  began  to  manifest  itself,  sources  of  information 
were  multiplied  and  polygamy  began  to  be  unpopular 
with  the  young  women  of  Utah.  In  this  regard,  then, 
Mormon  history  may  be  divided  into  three  periods : 

I.  The  monogamic  period:  from  its  origin  till  1843, 
during  which  time  all  their  publications  and  sermons 
were  opposed  to  polygamy  in  their  tone. 

II.  The  transition  period :  from  1843  till  1852,  when 
polygamy  was  secretly  taught  and  extended,  but  openly 
denied  and  condemned. 

III.  The  polygamic  period  :  from  1852  to  the  present, 
in  all  which  time  polygamy  has  been  avowed  and  de¬ 
fended  as  an  essential  part  of  Mormon  religion.  The 
third  period  might  properly  again  be  divided  into  an 
era  of  rise  and  one  of  decline ;  for  it  is  evident  that 
polygamy  culminated  in  all  its  worst  features  as  early 
as  1856,  since  which  time  it  has  been  slowly  on  the 
decline,  and  even  without  Government  interference 
would  hardly  have  endured  much  more  than  another 
generation.  In  these  last  statements  I  am  aware  that 
I  differ  from  some  whose  evidence  carries  the  weight  of 
authority,  particularly  Judges  Drake  and  Titus,  and 
other  United  States  officials  who  have  lately  testified 
before  the  Congressional  Committee  on  Territories. 
Nevertheless,  such  is  my  conclusion  from  a  mass  of  evi¬ 
dence  given  by  persons  both  in  and  out  of  the  Mormon 
Church,  and  from  a  careful  examination  of  the  records. 
That  polygamy  has  declined  in  the  last  five  years  is 
quite  certain,  from  causes  both  within  and  without  the 
Church ;  it  is  now  almost  impossible  to  induce  a  young 
girl  brought  up  in  Salt  Lake  City,  or  the  northern  set- 


352  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

tlements,  to  enter  that  condition,  and  the  instances  of 
plural  marriage  are  confined  almost  entirely  to  young 
women  just  brought  from  Europe. 

Of  their  theology  as  it  relates  to  polygamy,  but  little 
need  be  added.  It  is  so  thoroughly  grafted  into  and  in¬ 
terwoven  with  their  whole  system,  that  at  no  point  can 
one  be  touched  without  attacking  the  other.  Polygamy 
is  not,  as  recusant  Mormons  assert,  a  mere  addition  by 
Brigham  Young  to  the  original  faith ;  it  is  a  necessary 
and  logical  outgrowth  of  the  system.  If  Mormonism 
be  true,  then  polygamy  is  right ;  for  “  pre-existence  of 
the  soul,”  “  progression  of  the  gods,”  and  all  other  pe¬ 
culiarities  of  the  system,  depend  by  a  thousand  combi¬ 
nations  and  inter-relations  upon  the  plurality  system. 
A  man’s  or  woman’s  glory  in  eternity,  is  to  depend  upon 
the  size  of  the  family  ;  for  a  woman  to  remain  childless 
is  a  sin  and  calamity,  and  she  cannot  secure  “  exal¬ 
tation,”  as  the  wife  of  a  Gentile  or  an  apostate ;  her 
husband’s  rank  in  eternity  must  greatly  depend  upon 

the  number  of  his  wives,  and  she  will  share  in  that 

« 

glory  whatever  it  is.  All  this  points  unerringly  to 
polygamy.  Hence,  also,  the  last  feature  of  this  com¬ 
plex  and  unnatural  relationship,  known  as  “  spiritual 
wives,”  which  is  to  be  understood  as  follows :  Any 
woman,  having  an  earthly  husband  of  whose  final  ex¬ 
altation  she  is  in  doubt,  may  be  “  sealed  for  eternity  ” 
to  some  prominent  Mormon,  who  will  raise  her  and 
make  her  part  of  his  final  kingdom.  In  theory  this 
gives  the  spiritual  husband  no.  marital  rights,  but,  as 
stated  by  Elder  John  Hyde,  the  noted  apostate,  “it 
may  well  be  doubted  whether  the  woman  who  can  pre- 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


353 


fer  another  man  for  her  pseudo-eternal  husband,  has 
not  fallen  low  enough  to  sin  in  deed,  as  well  as  thought, 
against  her  earthly  husband.” 

By  “  marriage  for  the  dead,”  living  women  are  sealed 
to  dead  men,  and  vice  versa ,  some  one  “ standing  proxy” 
for  the  deceased.  Thus,  a  widow  and  widower  may  each 
prefer  their  first  partners  “  for  eternity,”  but  like  each 
other  well  enough  “for  time;”  in  which  case  they  are 
first  sealed  to  each  other  “for  time,”  then  each,  by 
proxy  for  the  departed  “  for  eternity,”  thus  requiring 
three  separate  ceremonies  to  settle  the  temporal  and 
eternal  relations  of  all  parties,  who  may  in  turn  be 
divorced  from  either  by  Brigham  Young  and  the  Pro¬ 
bate  Courts.  So  a  man  may  have  a  wife  “  for  time,” 
who  belongs  to  some  man  already  dead  “  for  eternity,” 
in  which  case  all  the  children  will  belong  to  the  latter 
in  eternity,  the  living  man  merely  “  raising  up  seed 
unto  his  dead  brother.”  To  such  lengths  of  vain 
imaginings  may  a  credulous  people  be  led  by  artful 
impostors. 


354 


LIFE  IN  UTAH  ;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 


CHAPTER  XV. 

PRACTICAL  POLYGAMY. 

Open  evils  and  hidden  sufferings — Miss  S.  E.  Carmichael’s  testimony — 
$ 

Mormon  sophistry — The  sexual  principle — Its  objects — Theory  and  facts 
— Monogamist  vs.  Polygamist— Turk,  Persian  and  African  vs.  the  Chris¬ 
tian  White — The  same  effects  in  Utah — Jealousy  and  misery — Children 
of  different  wives — Cultivated  indifference — Hatred  among  children — 
Brigham’s  idea  of  parental  duty — Are  the  Mormon  women  happy  ? — 
Submission  and  silence — Degradation  of  women— Mormon  idea  of  polite¬ 
ness — Heber  C.  Kimball  and  his  “  cows  ”— “  My  women  ” — Slavery  of 
sex — Moses  and  Mohammed  outdone — Incest— Marrying  a  whole  family 
— Robert  Sharkey — Remorse  and  suicide— Uncle  and  niece — Bishop 
Smith  and  bis  nieces — Mixture  of  blood — Horrible  crimes — Half-brother 
and  sister — The  Prophet  “sold  ” — The  doctrine  of  incest — “  Too  strong 
now,  but  the  people  will  come  to  it” — Now  openly  avowed — Brothers 
and  sisters  to  marry  for  a  “pure  priesthood” — Testimony  of  Wm. 
Hepwortli  Dixon — Father  and  daughter  may  marry — Effects  upon  the 
young — Infant  mortality — Large  average-mortality— Fatal  blindness — 
The  growing  youth — Demoralization — Youthful  depravity — No  hope  for 
young  men  and  women — Sophistry  and  madness — Ancient  sensualism 
to  be  revived. 

The  worst  period  of  polygamy  has  passed,  but  its 
evil  effects  continue  in  full  force  to  the  present.  At  the 
outset  I  meet  with  a  difficulty  in  describing  its  greatest 
evils.  As  formerly  stated,  the  virtues  of  Mormonism 
are  all  easily  seen,  while  its  vices  are,  as  much  as  possi¬ 
ble,  hidden,  and  this  is  peculiarly  the  case  with 
polygamy. 

We  can  see  its  evils  in  a  political  point  of  view,  in 
their  laws,  to  some  extent  in  their  society,  in  the  mix¬ 
ture  of  population  and  the  blood  of  near  kindred;  but 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


355 


who  can  enter  into  the  penetralia  of  the  affections, 
weigh  and  estimate  woman’s  anguish,  count  the  heart- 
drops  of  sorrow,  and  say,  here  is  so  much  misery,  or 
there  is  so  much  resignation. 

This  last  is  by  far  the  greatest  evil  of  polygamy,  and 
though  it  may  be  felt,  and  to  some  extent  seen,  it  can 
never  be  described. 

Miss  Sarah  E.  Carmichael,  now  Mrs.  Williamson, 
who  was  reared  at  Salt  Lake,  says  :  “  If  I  were  a  man, 
as  I  am  a  woman,  I  would  stand  in  the  halls  of  Con¬ 
gress,  and  cry  aloud  for  the  miserable  women  of  Utah, 
till  the  world  should  hear  and  know  the  wrongs  and 
miseries  of  polygamy.”  The  Mormons  argue  that  the 
laws  of  nature,  physical  nature,  point  out  polygamy  as 
the  natural  condition.  There  may  be  some  argument 
in  its  favor  in  the  physical  organization,  but  when  we 
come  to  the  soul  and  mind,  the  mentality  of  woman 
points  unerringly  to  monogamy  as  her  only  possible 
state  for  domestic  happiness;  and  any  system  which 
attempts  to  establish  unity  in  the  household  by  dividing 
one  man’s  care  and  affection  among  two  or  three  women, 
is  founded  upon  a  total  misconception  of  the  sexual 
principle.  For,  why  was  that  principle  so  deeply  im¬ 
planted  in  the  human  nature?  The  Mormcns  would  tell 
us  “  for  the  one  purpose  only,  that  men  might  increase.” 
But  a  sound  philosophy,  and  the  history  of  mankind, 
show  that  this  is  but  one' of  many  reasons,  though 
necessary  and  important,  yet  not  all  either  of  man’s 
duty  or  happiness. 

In  the  nobler  view  this  principle  has  at  least  three 
manifestations,  and  three  objects  to  fulfil. 


356  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

First  and  lowest  is  a  mere  amativeness — the  feeling 
which  the  male  animal  has  for  the  female — common  to 
man  with  the  brutes.  Its  object  is  reproduction,  its 
nobler  uses,  the  perpetuation  of  our  species. 

But  far  above  this  is  a  second  division  of  the  great 
principle,  companionship,  society,  love  of  a  congenial 
associate.  With  it  is  connected  the  admiration  for 
beauty,  grace  and  refinement,  mutual  help  and  protec¬ 
tion,  and  the  interchange  of  kind  offices.  Its  public 
benefits  are  in  the  founding  of  families  and  establish¬ 
ment  of  communities,  and  by  it  alone  can  the  State  be 
established,  on  aught  approaching  sure  foundations.  In 
this  view  then,  marriage  is  not,  as  certain  theorists 
would  persuade  us,  a  matter  strictly  between  the  indi¬ 
viduals  ;  the  State  has  the  highest  interest  in  its 
•regulation,  and  justly  determines  from  the  experience 
of  the  past  what  is  best  for  the  stability  of  our  institu¬ 
tions.  But  he  who  should  stop  at  this  point  in  the 
inquiry  would  have  at  last  but  a  poor  and  mean  view 
of  the  sexual  principle  or  the  marriage  relation. 

As  man  is  not  all  animal,  but  also  a  member  of  a 
family  and  community,  one  helping  and  needing  help, 
a  citizen  and  a  debtor  to  the  public  weal ;  so  he  is  not 
all  man,  not  all  citizen,  communist  or  worker ;  he  is,  in 
part,  divine,  he  has  a  nature  in  common  with  the  angels. 
And  in  this  deparment  of  his  nature,  the  great  principle 
manifests  itself  as  a  high  and  holy  affection,  a  pure  re¬ 
gard  for  what  is  pure,  a  silent  adoration  for  that  which 
is  divine  in  the  human ;  its  exercise  and  reward  alike 
are  in  a  complete  intercommunion  of  soul  and  inter¬ 
change  of  pure  affection.  % 


AND  GRIMES  OF  MORMONISM.  357 

And  its  very  essence  is  duality ;  a  divided  affection 
is  utterly  at  war  with  “that  sweet  egotism  of  the  heart 
called  love,”  that  divine  selfishness  of  choosing  one 
being  apart  from  all  the  world,  perhaps  the  only  form 
in  which  selfishness  is  approved  of  God.  And  the 
object  of  this  principle  is  a  higher  development  of  the 
whole  man,  male  and  female ;  this  is  the  most  noble 
object  of  the  marriage  relation,  and  by  this  alone  is  it 
sanctified.  Can  the  wildest  fanaticism  or  most  earnest 
sophistry  claim  that  aught  of  this  can  be  found  in  the 
polygamic  order  ?  The  Mormon  is  but  one-third  mar¬ 
ried  ;  he  has  in  such  unions  provided  for  but  one-third, 
and  that  the  lowest,  basest  part  of  his  nature.  But,  it 
may  be  said,  this  last  is  only  a  theory.  Let  us  then 
briefly  examine  a  few  facts.  That  this  indication  is  to 
be  followed  rather  than  the  other,  is  abundantly  shown 
by  a  comparative  view  of  polygamous  and  monogamous 
nations.  The  Indian  and  native  African  know  nothing 
of  the  softer  sentiments  which  make  life  amiable  and 
agreeable ;  to  them  woman  is  merely  a  superior  beast 
of  burden ;  they  can  purchase  as  many  wives  as  their 
means  command,  and  are,  by  nature,  habit  and  religion, 
thorough-going  polygamists.  Coming  a  little  higher  to 
the  partially  civilized  races,  we  find  a  great  improve¬ 
ment,  but  nothing  like  Christian  ideas.  The  Hindoo 
considers  this  such  a  poor  world  for  women,  that  it  is 
thought  no  particular  harm  to  drown  a  female  infant, 
though  a  heinous  offence  to  thus  dispose  of  a  boy.  The 
same  is  true,  to  some  extent,  of  the  Persians,  Turks, 
and  Mohammedan  races,  generally.  Home,  as  under¬ 
stood  by  us,  is  an  unknown  institution ;  the  harem 


358  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERJES 

takes  its  place,  and  polygamous  customs  have  destroyed, 
to  a  great  extent,  the  valor  and  energy  of  the  men 
and  the  attractive  graces  of  woman. 

In  the  march  of  progress,  these  nations  are  fast 
falling  behind  and  sinking  beneath  the  hardy  vigor  of 
Western  Christians.  History  scarcely  records  an  in¬ 
stance  where  an  organized  nation  of  monogamists  has 
fallen  before  polygamists. 

The  monogamic  Greeks,  with  a  little  army  of  forty 
thousand  men,  overran  all  the  proud  empires  of  South¬ 
ern  Asia ;  the  effeminate  Persians  and  Hindoos  could 
not  stand  before  the  hardy  valor  of  that  people,  who 
held,  as  a  fixed  principle,  that  the  dignity  of  woman  is 
the  strength  of  the  State.  Monogamic  Rome  com¬ 
pleted  what  Greece  had  begun,  in  destroying  the  power 
of  the  Western  Asiatics.  For  six  hundred  years  the 
honor  and  dignity  of  the  Roman  matron  were  the  sub¬ 
jects  of  unwearied  praise,  till  Rome  herself  was  corrup¬ 
ted  by  the  nations  she  had  conquered.  The  reign  of 
the  first  Asiatic,  who  wore  the  Imperial  purple,  marks 
the  beginning  of  a  great  decline,  and  Rome,  in  turn, 
fell  before  the  hardy  monogamists  of  Northern  Eu¬ 
rope.  The  Mohammedans  easily  overran  Asia  and 
Northern  Africa,  but  in  Europe  their  course  was  soon 
checked.  The  hosts  of  Abderahman  melted  like  snow 
before  the  stout  arms  of  the  German  nations,  who  left 
the  plains  of  Poictiers  covered  with  the  corpses  of  three 
hundred  thousand  polygamists. 

But  it  may  be  said  these  comparisons  are  unfair,  as 
setting  civilized  nations  against  semi-barbarians.  But 
this  fact  makes  a  better  comparison  impossible,  that  the 


AND  CHIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


359 


lowest  nation  of  monogamists  is  far  above  the  highest 
of  polygamists.  The  white  inhabitants  of  Utah  are  the 
only  branch  of  the  Caucasian  race  that  have  adopted 
polygamy  within  many  hundred  years.  Of  course  we 
would  look  for  certain  results  there,  and  if  not  seen  at 
once,  many  would  conclude  that  Utah  was  an  exception 
to  the  general  rule.  But  it  is  to  be  remembered  that 
polygamy  has  been  practiced  among  them  but  twenty- 
seven  years.  Nevertheless  it  has  shown  a  marked  and 
rapid  tendency  towards  evil ;  and  in  many  of  its  features 
probably  worse  than  in  any  Mohammedan  country. 

The  first  result  to  be  noted  is  a  universal,  and  worse 
than  Moslem  jealousy,  both  among  men  and  women. 
I  have  the  testimony  of  dozens,  brought  up  in  the 
midst  of  the  system,  and  several  of  them  children  of 
second  wives,  that  such  a  thing  as  a  harmonious  family 
of  many  wives  is  unknown  in  their  acquaintance. 
Others  say  there  are  such,  but  all  admit  they  are  rare. 
I  am  speaking  now  of  the  women  and  young  people’s 
testimony ;  the  men  will  often  claim  the  contrary, 
even  when  their  own  families  disprove  it.  Among  my 
acquaintances  in  Salt  Lake  City  is  a  young  lady,  who 
is  the  daughter  of  a  second  wife,  whose  history  illus¬ 
trates  this  matter  very  forcibly.  Her  mother  had  lived 
in  polygamy  for  fifteen  years,  and  finally  became  con¬ 
vinced  that  it  was  as  sinful  as  she  had  found  it  miserable. 

The  troubles  of  her  mind  brought  on  a  mortal  sick¬ 
ness,  when  she  called  her  daughter  to  her  bedside,  and 
told  her  that  she  had  lived  in  misery,  and  was  dying 
without  hope ;  that  she  was  now  convinced  of  her  sin, 
and  only  desired  her  daughter  to  escape  from  it. 


360  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

The  daughter  as  required,  took  a  solemn  oath  never 
to  enter  polygamy.  The  mother  told  her  to  be  firm, 
and  her  mother’s  spirit  would  protect  her.  Soon  after 
she  died,  and  the  daughter  left  her  father’s  house,  at 
the  age  of  fourteen,  to  reside  with  a  relative  who  had 
apostatized,  and  though  twice  taken  back,  is  now  per¬ 
mitted  to  live  there  unmolested.  The  father  stands 
high  in  the  Mormon  Church,  and  still  has  four  wives. 
During  the  first  month  of  my  stay  in  Salt  Lake  City, 
the  second  wife  of  a  well  known  Mormon  left  him,  and 
went  to  work  in  a  hotel.  After  a  short  stay  there,  she 
took  her  child  and  started  to  Montana,  when  the  hus¬ 
band  took  out  a  writ  of  habeas  corpus  for  the  child ;  the 
Sheriff  overtook  her  thirty  miles  North,  when,  seeing 
him  coming,  she  ran  for  the  mountains,  distant  half  a 
mile.  She  was  overtaken  and  the  child  torn  away  from 
her,  and  brought  to  the  city,  which,  of  course,  induced 
the  mother  to  return.  She  was  going  With  some  emi¬ 
grants  who  dared  not  assist  her,  for  fear  of  Mormon 
vengeance. 

Instances  of  like  nature  might  be  cited  at  will ;  and 
it  is  only  too  plain,  that  the  system  results  in  the  utter 
destruction  of  domestic  love  and  harmony.  The  Mor¬ 
mons  themselves  hesitatingly  acknowledge,  that  the 
“  thing  called  love  among  the  Gentiles”  cannot  exist 
under  their  system  ;  but  claim  that  they  have  instead, 
a  purer  feeling  of  respect,  support  and  friendship. 

Hence,  it  is  quite  the  custom  among  the  Mormon 
leaders,  to  speak  of  domestic  affection  and  endear¬ 
ments  with  a  sort  of  sneer,  or  as  something  to  be  but 
rarely  indulged  in,  and  rather  unworthy  of  the  manly 
character. 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


361 


The  Mormons  claim  that  a  man  may  love  equally 
half  a  dozen  women,  as  well  as  a  mother  may  the  same 
number  of  children,  and  that  the  women  are  satisfied 
with  this  divided  affection ;  but  that  this  is  not,  and 
never  can  be  the  case,  I  need  say  to  no  one  who 
has  the  slightest  knowledge  of  the  female  heart.  For  a 
man  to  love  six  women,  equally  well,  is  manifestly  im¬ 
possible  ;  but  it  is  possible  for  him  to  be  equally  indiffer¬ 
ent  to  all.  And  to  this  does  the  teaching  of  the  leaders 
directly  tend ;  rather  than  create  a  jealousy,  or  show  a 
marked  preference  for  one,  they  are  to  cultivate  a  mere 
equal  respect  for  all.  Nor  is  it  often  possible  for  a  man, 
whose  care  and  affection  are  divided  between  three  or 
four  women  of  varying  charms  and  tempers,  to  regard 
equally  the  children  of  all;  if  he  have  common  affec¬ 
tion,  the  most  affectionate  child  will  become  his  favor¬ 
ite,  and  engross  his  attention;  and  thus  jealousy,  far 
from  being  confined  to  adults,  rages  equally  in  the 
bosoms  of  the  young.  This  is  seen  and  noticed  in 
almost  every  family,  and  the  story  of  J acob’s  partial¬ 
ity,  and  his  children’s  jealousy,  is  repeated  every 
day  in  the  year.  So  greatly  do  these  troubles  mul¬ 
tiply  in  the  larger  families,  that  in  spite  of  their  incli¬ 
nation  to  secrecy,  the  parents  are  forced  in  bitterness 
of  soul  to  make  known  their  grievances. 

In  one  sermon,  preached  while  I  was  at  Salt  Lake, 
Brigham  Young  made  this  remark  :  w  The  women  are 
every  day  complaining  of  what  they  have  to  suffer  in 
plurality.  If  it’s  any  harder  on  them  than  it  is  on  the 
men,  God  help  them.  Many  of  them  seem  to  think  a 
man  in  plurality  has  nothing  to  do  but  listen  to  their 

,  ' 


362 


LIFE  IN  UTAH  ;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 


troubles,  and  run  at  tlieir  beck  and  call.  I  believe  I 
have  wives  that  would  see  me  damned  rather  than  not 
get  every  little  furbelow  they  want.” 

But  the  smaller  families  are  happy  in  comparison, 
and  it  is  within  the  walls  of  the  larger  harems,  accord¬ 
ing  to  all  reports,  that  the  demon  of  jealousy  reigns 
supreme.  Female  nurses  of  Salt  Lake  say  that  it  is  no 
uncommon  thing,  in  the  better  class  of  polygamous 
households,  for  a  child  to  be  born  to  one  wife  and  all 
the  others  to  remain  sullenly  in  their  rooms,  unless 
specially  called,  apparently  without  interest  or  concern 
for  the  result. 

At  first  view  it  seems  incredible  that  any  woman 
should  be  indifferent  under  such  circumstances ;  and 
yet  we  can  readily  understand  that  a  woman  would  be 
far  from  pleased  at  the  birth  of  a  child  which  was  her 
husband’s,  but  not  hers.  From  the  torment  of  such 
feelings  there  is  no  refuge  but  in  a  cultivated  indifference, 
and  such  seems  to  be  the  ideal  of  all  thorough  Mormons 
in  regard  to  the  affections. 


Brigham  Young  himself  is  personally  one  of  the 
coldest  of  men.  According  to  one  who  knows  his 
habits,  he  usually  sleeps  alone,  in  a  small  room  behind 
his  office ;  and  a  woman  who  lived  many  years  in  his 
family,  tells  me  she  never  saw  him  caress  or  pet  but 
one  of  his  children.  In  speaking  to  one  of  my  Mormon 
acquaintances,  Brigham  gave  the  following  as  his  idea 
of  fatherly  duty  :  “  I  pay  no  attention  to  the  children, 
but  leave  that  to  their  mothers,  according  to  the  law  of 
nature.  The.  bull  pays  no  attention  to  his  calves.” 

In  this  sentence  is  embodied  the  social  perfection  of 


1 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


363 


polygamy,  as  it  will  be  “when  the  Lord  has  healed  the 
Saints  of  all  their  old  Gentilish  traditions.”  The  ques¬ 
tion  will,  of  course,  be  asked  :  Are  the  Mormon  women 
happy  ?  It  must  be  remembered  that  only  one-third  or 
one-fourth  of  all  the  women  in  Utah  are  in  polygamy, 
either  as  first  or  subsequent  wives;  and,  as  to  the  rest, 
there  is  no  particular  cause  for  unhappiness  from  that 
source,  except  the  constant  dread  that  their  husbands 
will  take  additional  wives.  These  exceptions  noted  the 
testimony,  as  far  as  it  can  be  had,  is  universal,  that  Mor- 
monism  is  a  “  hard  faith  for  women.”  Again,  it  may  be 
asked  :  What  do  the  women  say  about  it  ?  Generally, 
they  say  nothing.  It  is  “  sound  Mormon  doctrine,” 
that  the  “'first  duty  of  a  woman  is  submission,  and  the 
second  silence;”  and,  certainly,  the  majority  of  Utah 
women  would  gain  heaven  on  those  conditions.  The 

[most  noticeable  fact  to  a  Gentile  traveling  through 
Mormon  settlements  is  the  strangely  quiet  way  in 
which  women  discharge  their  household  duties. 

They  stand  behind  the  guest  at  the  way-side  hotel, 
replenish  the  table  and  attend  upon  his  wants,  but 
lever  enter  into  the  conversation,  venture  not  the 
slightest  observation  or  inquiry,  and  very  rarely  answer 
:iis  questions  in  anything  more  than  monosyllables, 
ind  those  questions  are  few,  for  it  is  almost,  if  not 
piite,  a  capital  crime  in  the  Mormon  code  to  “interfere 

ivith  our  women?  Such  principles  and  such  practice 
tan  tend  only  to  the  degradation  of  woman ;  and  this  I 
lote  as  the  second  great  evil  of  polygamy.  To  Eastern 
ninds  it  is  quite  impossible  to  convey  a  full  comprehen¬ 
sion  of  the  many  ways,  the  thousand  little  expressions, 


364 


LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 


the  tone  of  public  and  private  manners,  and  the  daily 
incidents  in  which  is  manifested  this  general  lack  of 
respect  for  women.  This  is  so  marked  that  it  is  a  com¬ 
mon  subject  of  talk,  even  among  themselves.  Said  a 
young  Mormon  woman,  who  had  just  married  a  Gentile, 
to  me  :  “  I  don’t/  know  half  a  dozen  men  here  who  really 
respect  their  wives.  It  is  a  constant  wonder  to  us,  the 
way  the  Gentiles  treat  their  women.” 

I  have  often  been  amused  at  the  appearance  of  their 
young  women  who  were  attending  Gentile  balls  for  the 
first  time.  That  a  gentleman  should  bow  so  reverently 
to  his  partner,  that  he  should  offer  a  lady  his  arm  just 
to  cross  the  room,  that  he  should  esteem  it  a  pleasure 
rather  than  a  favor,  to  bring  a  glass  of  water  or  the 
like,  seems  to  excite  their  amazement.  Social  lines 
were  closely  drawn  the  winter  of  my  stay  in  Salt 
Lake,  and  no  young  woman  could  venture  to  associate 
with  the  Gentiles,  without  losing  her  standing  among 
Mormons  entirely.  Still,  many  found  their  way  into 
Gentile  society,  though  if  they  persisted  in  it,  they 
were  usually  “cut  off  and  dis-fellowshiped”  by  the 


Church  authorities. 


The  fanaticism  of  the  Mormons  is  so  great  that 
they  consider  a  woman  “lost”  if  she  associates  with  Gen¬ 
tile  men ;  it  is  concluded  at  once  that  she  can  have  no 


pure  motive  in  so  doing,  and  among  their  own  people 


they  possess  the  power  to  ruin  a  woman’s  character 
entirely.  An  old  Mormon,  at  whose  house  I  visited 
occasionally,  seldom  failed  to  give  me  his  views  of  the 
absurdity  of  our  common  ideas  of  woman.  Plis  favorite 
style  was  to  give  me  a  burlesque  representation  of  oui 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


365 


mode  of  addressing  ladies,  and  when  he  got  warmed 
up  on  the  subject,  it  was  highly  amusing  to  see  him 
skip  about  the  room,  hat  in  hand,  bowing  and  grimacing 
to  the  chairs,  and  imitating  the  dandified  address 
of  an  exquisite.  Most  of  the  polygamists  habitually 
speak  of  their  wives  as  “  my  women,”  and  in  his 
jocular  moments,  while  preaching,  the  late  Heber  C. 
Kimball  often  spoke  of  his  facetiously  as  u  my  cows.” 

I  must  say,  however,  that  all  of  this  is  not  due  to 
polygamy,  but  much  of  it  to  the  women  themselves. 
Nearly  all  of  them  are  of  foreign  birth,  English,  Welsh, 
Scotch  and  Scandinavian,  and  of  that  class,  too,  among 
whom  men  have  never  been  accustomed  to  respect  wo¬ 
men  very  highly.  I  am  sure  polygamy  could  not  have 
been  established  in  a  purely  American  community,  and 
the  Mormons  themselves  say  that  all  the  trouble  and 
opposition  comes  from  the  American  or  Irish  wives, 
though  there  are  but  few  of  the  latter. 

But  the  vileness  of  Mormon  polygamy,  which  gives 
it  infamous  pre-eminence  over  that  of  Jews,  Turks  and 
Hindoos,  is  yet  to  be  described,  and  consists  in  the 
grosser  forms  of  incest,  the  intermarriage  of  near  rela¬ 
tions.  In  their  general  revolt  against  the  ethics  of 
Christendom,  and  attempt  to  found  a  society  upon  the 
most  primitive  models,  they  have  disregarded  alike  the 
laws  of  Moses  and  Mohammed ;  and  if  they  have  any 
example  in  modern  times,  it  must  be  in  the  Utes  and 
Shoshonees  who  surround  them.  To  marry  a  mother 
and  one  or  more  of  her  daughters  is  even  thought 
meritorious ;  and  the  Mormon  authorities  often  advise 
a  man  to  marry  sisters,  as  they  usually  agree  better 
than  others. 


366  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

Robert  Sharkey,  a  merchant  of  Salt  Lake  City, 
married  three  sisters,  one  of  whom  was  divorced  from 
her  first  husband  to  marry  him.  They  all  lived  in  one 
house,  and  quite  happily,  it  is  said,  for  several  years, 
when  in  some  strange  manner  they  all  became  con¬ 
vinced  that  polygamy  was  wrong.  One  of  the  sisters 
started  East,  but  soon  returned  and  endeavored  to  make 
some  arrangement  for  him  to  put  away  the  other  two. 
There  were  difficulties  in  the  way,  and  Sharkey’s 
trouble  was  so  great  on  the  subject  that  his  mind  be¬ 
came  disordered,  and  in  August,  1868,  he  committed 
suicide  by  shooting  himself  through  the  head.  The 
widowed  sisters  still  live  together,  and  are  determined 
opponents  of  polygamy.  Two  of  Brigham  Young’s 
favored  wives,  Clara  Decker  and  Lucy  Decker  Seely, 
are  sisters,  the  second  having  been  the  widow  of  Dr. 
Isaac  Seely,  of  Nauvoo,  Illinois.  One  family  within 
my  knowledge  consists  of  two  men  and  four  women, 
the  men’s  first  wives  being  sisters,  and  their  second 
wives  each  a  sister  of  the  other  man,  all  living  in  one 
house.  Or  to  state  it  mathematically :  A  and  B,  first 
marry  sisters,  then  A  marries  B’s  sister,  and  B  A’s 
sister.  Here  is  no  marriage  of  blood  relations,  and  yet 
it  looks  like  a  terrible  mixture  somewhere. 

The  question  arises  for  lawyers  :  Suppose  each  of  the 
women  to  have  children,  what  akin  are  they  respec¬ 
tively  ?  And  which  of  them  could  lawfully  marry 
according  to  Leviticus  and  Chancellor  Kent  ?  If  polyg¬ 
amy  continues,  these  mixtures  are  nothing  to  what 
must  take  place  in  the  next  generation,  for  without  a 
chemical  analysis  no  “  heraldry  Harvey  ”  could  ever 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


367 


succeed  in  finding  the  consanguineous  circulation,  to 
say  nothing  of  the  collateral.  As  it  now  is,  it  seems 
as  if  half  the  children  in  the  city  are  related  in  some 
way  or  other  to  the  Kimballs,  the  Pratts  or  the 
Youngs,  and  many  to  all  three.  If  it  stopped  here, 
some  faint  excuse  might  be  made ;  but  the  marriage  of 
uncle  and  niece  has  occurred  often  enough  to  establish 
it  as  a  Mormon  custom.  Bishop  Smith,  of  Brigham 
City,  numbers  two  of  his  own  brother  s  daughters  among 
the  inmates  of  his  harem,  “  sealed  ”  to  him  by  Brig¬ 
ham  Young,  with  a  full  knowledge  of  the  relationship ; 
and  in  the  southern  settlements  several  such  cases  exist. 
As  already  stated,  polygamy  is  but  a  mild  affair  north 
of  Salt  Lake  City,  compared  with  the  southern  settle¬ 
ments  ;  and  in  the  latter  are  found  all  the  worst  fea¬ 
tures  of  Mormonism.  There  the  bishop  is  absolute, 
spiritual  guide,  temporal  governor  and  social  tyrant; 
there  are  collected  the  most  ignorant  and  degraded  of 
the  foreign  converts ;  the  doctrines  of  Mormonism  coin¬ 
cide  fully  with  the  people’s  natural  habits  of  thought; 
respect  for  woman,  who  is  practically  a  slave,  is  a  thing 
unknown,  and  the  marriage  of  near  relatives  is  so  com¬ 
mon  that  to  remark  on  it  would  itself  be  considered  re¬ 
markable.  The  marriage  of  first  cousins  is  common, 
but  I  have  heard  of  no  case  of  aunt  and  nephew.  The 
following  affair  seems  too  horrible  for  belief  among  any 
people  in  America ;  but  is  as  well  proved  as  any  fact 
can  be  by  human  testimony,  particularly  that  of  the 
woman  herself  who  went  out  of  the  Territory  with  a 
military  expedition  fitted  out  under  General  Connor. 

Some  sixteen  years  ago?>  a  young  Scotchman  came  to 


368 


LIFE  IN  UTAH  ;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 


Salt  Lake  City  in  company  with  his  half  sister,  who 
commenced  keeping  house  for  him.  After  a  time  he 
went  to  Brigham  and  professed  a  desire  to  marry  the 
girl,  citing  the  example  of  Abraham  and  his  half  sister 
Sarai.  Brigham  owned  there  was  something  in  it. 
Abraham  was  an  example  in  favor  of  polygamy,  and 
why  not  in  this  ?  He  finally  sent  for  the  girl,  and  find¬ 
ing  her  handsome  and  lively,  solved  the  problem  by 
marrying  her  himself;  the  half  brother  yielded  to  the 
Prophet’s  superior  claim,  and  all  was  well.  But  in  a 
few  short  weeks  the  lady’s  delicate  condition  showed 
too  plainly  that  the  amorous  half  brother  had  anti¬ 
cipated  marital  rights,  and  Brigham  found  himself  in  a 
fair  way  to  have  an  heir  de  jure  that  was  not  de  san¬ 
guine.  Here  was  a  problem.  It  would  never  do  for 
the  Prophet  to  acknowledge  himself  “sold,”  so  he 
sent  for  the  brother,  told  him  he  had  reconsidered 
the  matter,  divorced  the  woman  from  himself,  and 
delivered  her  to  the  brother,  who  dutifully  received 
her  from  the  arms  of  the  Prophet.  She  lived  with 
her  half  brother  a  few  years  as  his  wife,  and  bore 
him  three  children,  but  finally  saw  the  degradation 
of  her  position,  and  left  for  the  States.  This  man 
still  resides  in  Salt  Lake  City,  is  a  prominent 
citizen,  and  seems  to  have  neither  blame  nor  shame 
attached  to  him.  .  When  I  first  heard  of  this  and  other 
instances  of  like  nature,  and  heard  the  horrible  doctrine 
of  incest  attributed  to  the  Mormons,  I  could  not  but 
think  it  an  invention  of  some  bitter  enemy  of  the  sect ; 
but  since  then  I  have  heard  it  fully  avowed  by  the 
same  prominent  Mormon,  whose  testimony  is  given  in 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


369 


chapter  ninth.  Referring  to  the  cases  above,  he  said  : 
“  That  is  the  law  of  God  under  the  new  dispensation. 
Things  are  allowed  under  one  dispensation  which  are 
not  under  others.  As  it  was  with  Abel  and  Abraham, 
so  it  will  be  again.  The  day  will  soon  come,  when 
brothers  and  sisters  will  marry.  Shouldn’t  I  prefer 
my  own  blood  to  any  other?  Don’t  I  love  my  own 
blood  best?”  Still  another  Mormon  avers,  that  “to 
have  a  pure  priesthood,  we  may  in  time  have  to  follow 
the  example  of  the  doves  in  their  nest ,  as  Christ  meant 
it  to  be  understood.”  This  doctrine  was  first  advanced 
by  Brigham  from  the  pulpit  several  years  ago,  but  was 
received  with  such  undisguised  manifestations  of  sur¬ 
prise  and  disgust,  that  he  ceased  to  pursue  it  further, 
closing  with  the  remark :  “  Well  it’s  a  little  too  strong 
doctrine  for  you  now ;  but  the  time  will  be,  when  you 
will  take  it  in  fully.”  Since  then  the  subject  has  gen¬ 
erally  been  avoided  “  at  head-quarters,”  but  cannot  be 
altogether  denied.  Brigham  has  never  favored  but 
one  Gentile  with  his  views  on  the  subject,  viz. :  Wm. 
Hepworth  Dixon,  who  gives  the  following  statement  in 
his  late  work  entitled  “  New  America :” 

“  Perhaps  it  would  not  be  too  much  to  say  that  in 
the  Mormon  code  there  is  no  such  crime  as  incest,  and 
that  a  man  is  practically  free  to  woo  and  wed  any 
woman  who  may  take  his  eye. 

“We  have  had  a  very  strange  conversation  with  Young 
about  the  Mormon  doctrine  of  incest.  I  asked  him 
whether  it  was  a  common  thing  among  the  Saints  to 
marry  mother  and  daughter;  and,  if  so,  on  what  au- 


370  LIFE  m  UTAH  ;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

thority  they  acted,  since  that  kind  of  union  was  not 
sanctioned,  either  by  the  command  to  Moses  or  by  the 
‘revelation’  to  Smith.  When  he  hung  back  from  ad¬ 
mitting  that  such  a  thing  occurred  at  all,  I  named  a 
case  in  one  of  the  city  wards,  of  which  we  had  obtained 
some  private  knowledge. 

“Apostle  Cannon  said  that  in  such  case,  the  first  mar¬ 
riage  would  be  only  a  form;  that  the  elder  female 
would  be  understood  as  being  a  mother  to  her  husband 
and  his  younger  bride,  on  which  I  named  my  example, 
and  in  which  an  elder  of  the  Church  had  married  an 
English  woman,  a  widow,  with  a  daughter  then  of 
twelve ;  in  which  the  woman  had  borne  four  children 
to  this  husband ;  and  in  which  this  husband  had  mar¬ 
ried  her  daughter  when  she  came  of  age. 

“Young  said  it  was  not  a  common  thing  at  Salt  Lake. 

“  6  But  it  does  occur  ?’ 

“  ‘  Yes,’  said  Young,  ‘  it  occurs  sometimes.’ 

“On  what  ground  is  such  a  practice  justified  by  the 
church?”  After  a  short  pause,  he  said,  with  a  faint 
and  wheedling  smile :  6  This  is  a  part  of  the  question 
of  incest.  We  have  no  sure  light  on  it  yet.  I  cannot 
tell  you  what  the  church  holds  to  be  the  actual  truth ; 
I  can  tell  you  my  own  opinion  ;  but  you  must  not  pub¬ 
lish  it — you  must  not  tell  it — lest  I  should  be  misunder¬ 
stood  and  blamed.’ 

“He  then  made  to  us  a  communication  on  the  nature 
of  incest,  as  he  thinks  of  this  offence  and  judges  it; 
but  what  he  then  said  I  am  not  at  liberty  to  print.  As 
to  the  facts  which  came  under  my  own  eyes,  I  am  free 
.to  speak. 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


371 


“  Incest,  in  the  sense  in  which  we  use  the  word — mar¬ 
riage  within  the  prohibited  degrees — is  not  regarded  as 
a  crime  in  the  Mormon  Church. 

“  It  is  known  that  in  some  of  these  saintly  harems,  the 
female  occupants  stand  to  their  lords  in  closer  relation¬ 
ship  of  blood  than  the  American  law  permits.  It  is  a 
daily  event  in  Salt  lake  City  for  a  man  to  wed  two  sis¬ 
ters,  a  brother’s  widow,  and  even  a  mother  and  daugh¬ 
ter.  In  one  household  in  Utah  may  be  seen  the  spec¬ 
tacle  of  three  women,  who  stand  toward  each  other  in 
the  relation  of  child,  mother  and  grand-dame,  living  in 
one  man’s  harem  as  his  wives !  I  asked  the  President, 
whether,  with  his  new  lights  on  the  virtue  of  breeding 
in  and  in,  he  saw  any  objection  to  the  marriage  of  bro¬ 
ther  and  sister.  Speaking  for  himself,  not  for  the 
Church,  he  said  he  saw  none  at  all.  What  follows,  I 
give  in  the  actual  words  of  the  speakers : 

“D. — ‘  Does  that  sort  of  marriage  ever  take  place  ?  ’ 
“  Young. — ‘  Never.’ 

“  D. — ‘  Is  it  prohibited  by  the  Church  ?  ’ 

“  Young. — ‘  No ;  it  is  prohibited  by  prejudice/ 

“  Kimball. — e  Public  opinion  won’t  allow  it.’ 

“  Young. — ‘  I  would  not  do  it  myself,  nor  suffer  any 
one  else,  when  I  could  help  it.’ 

“  D. — ‘Then  you  don’t  prohibit,  and  you  don’t  practise 
it?’  ,  ‘  , 

u  Young. — ‘  My  prejudices  prevent  me/ 

“  This  remnant  of  an  old  feeling  brought  from  the 
Gentile  world,  and  this  alone,  would  seem  to  prevent 
the  Saints  from  rushing  into  the  higher  forms  of  incest. 
How  lomr  will  these  Gentile  sentiments  remain  in  force  ?’ 


372  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

“  ‘  You  will  find  here/  said  Elder  Stenhouse  to  me, 
talking  on  another  subject,  ‘  polygamists  of  the  third 
generation;  when  these  boys  and  girls  grow  up,  and 
marry,  you  will  have  in  these  valleys  the  true  feeling 
of  patriarchal  life. 

“  ‘  The  old  world  is  about  us  yet ;  and  we  are  always 
thinking  of  what  people  may  say  in  the  Scottish  hills 
and  the  Midland  shires.’  ” 

Morally  the  reader  may  be  shocked,  but  logically  he 
should  be  prepared  for  all  this ;  for  if  we  are  to  restore 
a  line  of  prophets  and  follow  the  example  of  the  patri¬ 
archs,  then  incest  and  polygamy  are  from  the  same  high 
source.  The  examples  of  Abraham  and  Sarai,  half 
brother  and  sister;  of  Lot  and  Judah  and  earlier  wor¬ 
thies  are  to  be  repeated.  As  one  Mormon  said  to  me, 
“the  world  could  never  have  been  peopled  without 
this  practice,  and  the  foremost  nations  of  antiquity 
maintained  it ;  ”  and  it  is  darkly  hinted  at  Salt  Lake 
that  father  and  daughter  may  form  an  allowable  union. 
And  why  not?  If  “the  souls  in  the  spirit  world 
wait  earnestly  for  tabernacles,”  to  furnish  them  is  a 
mere  mechanical  act,  and  may  be  performed  by  one  per¬ 
son  as  well  as  another. 

Thus  polygamy,  incest  and  blood  atonement  grow  as 
naturally  from  Mormon  theology  as  three  branches  from 
the  same  stock. 

The  mind  revolts  from  the  pursuit  of  these  disgusting 
details,  and  to  the  credit  of  the  Mormon  people  be  it 
said,  they  are  far  from  being  universal  in  approval  of 
these  later  doctrines. 

Will  it  be  credited  after  all  this  that  the  Mormons 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


373 


claim  to  be  the  most  virtuous  people  in  the  world  ?  Yet 
such  is  the  fact ;  and  they  never  weary  of  pointing  to 
the  prostitution  of  our  great  cities,  claiming  that  it  is 
their  appointed  destiny  to  remove  all  such  evils,  and 
make  woman  universally  pure.  This,  then,  is  the  self- 
proclaimed  task  of  Mormonism  :  to  save  a  few  by  re¬ 
ducing  all  to  a  level ;  to  abolish  prostitution  by  legaliz¬ 
ing  concubinage ;  to  promote  conjugal  purity  by  multi¬ 
plying  the  husband’s  temptation  and  opportunity,  and 
to  improve  the  condition  of  woman  by  making  her  a 
mere  life-giving  machine. 

Perhaps  the  most  saddening  feature  of  Mormon  polyg¬ 
amy,  is  the  effect  it  has  had  upon  the  young.  The 
medico- theologians  of  Utah  claim  that  polygamy  tends 
to  a  more  rapid  increase  of  population,  as  well  as  to  the 
physical  and  moral  improvement  of  the  species.  The 
former  claim  may  well  be  questioned,  and  that  the  latter 
is  a  serious  mistake,  is  plain  to  any  unprejudiced 
observer. 

Salt  Lake  City  already  shows  its  bad  effect  on  the 
offspring.  The  site  is  forty-three  hundred  feet  above 
the  level  of  the  sea,  in  a  dry  and  bracing  climate,  equally 
free  from  extremes  of  heat  and  cold ;  and  consequently 
it  should  be  one  of  the  healthiest  cities  in  the  world. 

Exactly  the  reverse  is  the  fact.  The  death  rate,  of 
all  ages,  was  for  years  a  little  more  than  twice  that  of 
the  'State  of  Oregon,  and  greater  than  that  of  New 
York,  or  any  city  north  of  the  Gulf  States.  When  we 
come  to  children,  the  disparity  is  still  more  frightful. 

By  actual  statistics  it  is  shown  that  the  mortality 
among  children  was,  for  many  years,  greater  in  Salt 


374 


LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 


Lake  City  than  any  other  in  America,  and  the  death- 
rate  of  Utah  only  exceeded  by  that  of  Louisiana.  The 
Mormons  have  greatly  exaggerated  the  population  of 
the  city,  which  really  contains  a  little  less  than  eighteen 
thousand  souls,  and  in  this  small  number  the  sexton’s 
report  for  October,  1868,  the  healthiest  month  in  the 
year,  and  my  first  in  the  city,  gives  the  interments  at 
sixty,  of  which  forty-four  were  children.  Last  year  was 
unusually  healthy,  and  yet  the  death  rate  exceeds  that 
of  any  other  State  or  Territory  west  of  the  Mississippi. 
The  Mormons  explain  this  by  saying  that  their  people^ 
are  generally  poor  and  exposed  to  hardships,  but  much 
of  that  poverty  is  directly  traceable  to  their  religion. 
Another  sad  fact  is  the  general  neglect  of  medical  care, 
or  rather  a  general  tendency  to  run  to  wild  and  absurd 
schemes  of  doctoring.  They  claim  that  “  laying  on  of 
hands  and  the  prayer  of  faith  ”  will  heal  the  sick,  and, 
yet,  no  j^eople  within  my  knowledge  are  so  given  to 
“  Thomsonianism,”  “steam  doctoring,”  “  yarb  medicine,” 
and  every  other  irregular  mode  of  treating  disease. 

One  day,  during  my  residence  there,  three  young 
children  died  in  the  seventeenth  ward  of  scarlet  fever. 
In  neither  case  was  a  physician  called;  the  Bishop 
came  and  “  laid  on  hands  with  the  holy  anointing,” 
and  an  old  woman  treated  two  of  them  with  a  mild 
palliative,  such  as  is  used  for  a  sore  throat.  If  the 
patients  live  after  such  treatment,  it  is  a  “  miracle ;”  if 
they  die  “  it  is  the  will  of  the  Lord.”  Two-tliirds  of  the 
polygamists  do  not  and  cannot  attend  properly  to  their 
children. 

The  bishop  of  one  ward,  the  fourteenth,  has  thirty 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


375 


children  living,  and  nearly  twenty  dead.  Joseph  Smith 
had  a  dozen  spiritual  wives ;  but  three  sons  survived 
him — all  of  his  legal  wife. 

When  Heber  Kimball  was  alive  there  were  five  men 
in  the  city  who  had  together  seventy^vives  ;  they  had, 
all  told,  less  than  a  hundred  and  fifty  children. 

A  Mormon  grave-yard  is  the  most  melancholy  sight 
on  earth.  One  bishop  of  the  city  has  seventeen  children 
buried  in  one  row,  and  the  longest  grave  is  not  over  four 
feet.  If  these  men  have  but  the  common  feelings  of 
humanity,  how  fearfully  are  they  punished  for  the 
crime  of  polygamy  !  Brigham’s  children  are  generally 
healthy,  except  that  the  girls  mostly  have  weak  eyes, 
and  two  of  them  are  nearly  blind ;  but  they  are  well 
fed,  housed  and  clothed.  But  such  is  the  exception, 
and  I  could  mention  a  dozen  men  whose  houses  are  full 
of  women,  but  their  children  are  in  the  grave. 

The  Asiatic  institution  was  never  meant  to  flourish 
on  American  soil,  and  has  resulted  here  in  a  “  slaughter 
of  the  innocents,”  which  is  saddening  to  contemplate. 
As  only  the  most  hardy  survive,  they  generally  grow 
up  robust  and  active ;  but  the  effects  of  their  social  bias 
are  seen  in  a  strange  dullness  of  moral  perception,  a 
general  ignorance  and  apparently  inherited  tendency  to 
vice.  If  the  testimony  of  Oscar  Young,  of  the  oldest 
son  of  the  Elder  Stenhouse  mentioned  above,  and  of 
numerous  other  young  Mormons,  can  be  relied  on, 
youthful  demoralization  certainly  begins  at  an  earlier 
.  age  in  Salt  Lake  than  in  other  places.  In  many  cases 
of  poor  men  in  polygam}7,  the  husband,  two  wives  and 
their  children  occupy  the  same  room;  in  many  in- 


376  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

stances  the  husband  and  two  wives  have  but  one  bed, 
and  when  we  consider  the  scenes  and  conversation  to 
which  these  children  are  witnesses,  it  would  seem  that 
no  exalted  ideas  of  purity  could  ever  enter  their  minds. 
Taken  from  school  at  an  early  age,  or  only  permitted 
to  enter  it  at  all  during  a  few  winter  months,  they  are 
often  put  in  extreme  youth  to  herding  cattle  on  the 
“  bench,”  or  beyond  J ordan ;  there  they  hear  the  slang 
of  older  youths,  and  from  hearing  learn  to  repeat,  observe 
and  imitate ;  demoralization  spreads  and  moral  decay 
seizes  upon  the  very  bloom  of  youth. 

From  what  they  so  often  hear  at  home,  they  become 
precociously  prurient  and  premature  observers  of  the 
brute  creation ;  and  from  personal  observation  and  the 
testimony  of  many  young  Mormons,  I  am  convinced 
there  is  no  part  of  America  where  youthful  vice,  of  the 
peculiarly  destructive  and  degrading  kind,  prevails  so 
extensively  as  in  Salt  Lake  City.  And  this  is  but  a 
natural  result ;  for  polygamy  is  tenfold  more  unnatural 
with  such  a  climate  ajid  race  than  in  Southern  Asia  or 
Africa. 

Strange  and  paradoxical  it  is  that  in  a  barren  land 
and  temperate  or  harsh  clime,  they  have  succeeded  in 
setting  up  a  practice  which  social  philosophy  had  de¬ 
cided  to  belong  only  in  regions  of  abundance,  in 
voluptuous  climes  where  soft  airs  incline  to  sensual 
indulgence. 

Stranger  still,  in  the  attempt  to  found  a  purely 
religious  community,  they  have  begun,  by  utterly  re¬ 
versing  every  idea  which  the  experience  of  three  thou¬ 
sand  years  had  proved  to  be  valuable ;  and  in  the  very 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


377 


inception  of  a  young  society,  which  was  to  be  fresh, 
vigorous  and  pure,  have  adopted  the  worst  vices  of  an 
old  and  worn  out  civilization.  But  to  them  these 
arguments  are  idle ;  “  the  mouth  of  the  Lord  hath  com¬ 
manded  it;”  and  it  is  theirs  not  to  study  results  but  to 
leave  it  with  the  Lord :  so,  beholding  all  around  them 
the  furious  revenges  of  nature  on  those  who  violate  her 
most  important  law,  they  shut  their  eyes  to  these  facts 
and  pronounce  them  false ;  and  hearing  in  their  own 
bodies  the  effects  of  physiological  sin,  impiously  claim  a 
divine  sanction  to  violate  the  laws  of  nature. 

When,  leaving  the  mere  youth  we  come  to  young  men 
and  women,  we  observe  two  curious  effects  of  polygamy. 
The  first  is  a  growing  tendency  to  single  life ;  polygamy 
to  some  extent  necessitates  celibacy,  for  the  number  of 
the  sexes  being  about  equal,  even  in  Utah,  if  one  man 
marries  two  wives,  some  other  man  must  do  without  his 
one.  Polygamy  is  in  fact  the  worst  kind  of  robbery, 
and  for  the  twelve  young  women  whom  Heber  C.  Kim¬ 
ball  married  after  reaching  Utah,  some  of  them  not  over 
eighteen,  twelve  young  men  must  remain  single. 

This  tendency  is  now  greatly  on  the  increase, 
particularly  among  the  girls,  and  it  is  a  common 
remark  with  them  that  they  will  never  marry  till 
they  can  leave  the  Territory.  And  this  accounts  in 
part  for  the  second,  a  general  desire  among  the  un¬ 
married  to  get  away  and  settle  out  of  Utah.  The 
world  would  be  surprised  at  the  constant  losses  to 
their  population  from  this  source ;  there  has  been 
for  years  a  constant  leak  from  the  territory  in  every 
direction,  and  in  one  sermon  I  heard  Brigham 


378  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

Young  enumerate  a  score  of  places  in  California,  Nevada, 
Washington  and  Oregon,  settled  entirely  by  recusant 
Mormons.  In  spite  of  a  steady  immigration  from 
Europe  of  from  one  to  four  thousand  per  year,  it  is  still 
a  debatable  question  whether  the  Mormons  have  gained 
faster  than  by  natural  increase  for  the  last  five  years. 

Indeed,  Utah  offers  but  few  inducements  for  a  young 
Mormon,  if  he  possess  more  than  average  intelligence  or 
enterprise ;  and  such,  it  will  generally  be  found,  make 
their  way  to  some  other  locality.  Much  has  been 
claimed  by  the  Mormons  for  the  virtue  of  their  young 
women,  and  more  said  against  it  by  some  of  their  oppo¬ 
nents.  From  the  best  evidence  at  my  command  I  think 
their  virtue  will  average  as  well,  or  nearly  so,  as  that 
of  any  very  poor  and  ignorant  people ;  but  the  fatal 
error  of  the  Mormons  is  in  allowing  for  no  virtue  ex¬ 
cept  that  by  constraint  and  constant  watching.  No 
dependence  whatever  is  placed  upon  the  innate  moral 
sense,  and  apparently  no  effort  made  to  cultivate  or 
strengthen  it ;  it  is  not  supposed  that  virtue  is  founded 
in  aught  but  dread,  and  every  thorough  going  Mormon 
acts  as  if  he  expected  his  daughters  to  go  wrong  the  very 
first  opportunity. 

The  jealousy  of  the  men  is  even  greater  than  that  of 
the  women.  Nine-tenths  of  them  take  it  for  granted 
that  a  Gentile  can  have  no  good  purpose  in  addressing 
a  Mormon  girl ;  and  it  is  not  uncommon  to  hear  a  Mor¬ 
mon  say,  “I  will  shoot  any  Gentile  I  see  walking  with 
my  daughter.” 

It  must  be  confessed,  they  have  some  foundation  for 
this  harsh  judgment,  as  in  former  years  hundreds  of 


r 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


379 


Gentiles  merely  came  there  to  winter,  and  often  left 
their  wives  in  the  spring ;  and  it  is  a  sad  fact  that  of 
all  the  women  who  have  left  the  Mormons,  the  majority 
have  turned  out  badly.  When  the  California  volunteers 
left  there,  they  took  off  a  great  many  with  them,  of 
whom  the  majority  were  not  married.  The  Mormons, 
of  course,  attribute  this  to  the  immoral  character  of  the 
Gentiles ;  but  it  is  plainly  attributable  to  their  system 
of  forced  virtue,  by  means  of  constraint  and  constant 
watching.  “The  virtue  that  must  be  guarded  is  not 
worth  the  sentinel;”  and  these  girls,  who  have  been 
brought  up  in  such  strictness  and  seclusion,  with  the 
idea  that  none  of  their  Mormon  companions  would 
dare  attempt  their  virtue,  are  but  poorly  prepared  to 
encounter  the  seductive  arts  we  know  to  be  common  in 
the  Gentile  world.  If  there  is  such  a  thing  as  trust 
between  the  sexes  in  Utah,  I  have  witnessed  no  mani¬ 
festations  of  it ;  society  has  already  assumed  the  same 
|air  of  jealous  distrust  so  often  remarked  among  the 
Moslems,  while  austerity  and  reserve  are  considered 
the  noblest  graces  of  woman. 

It  is  gratifying  to  state,  however,  that  the  grossness 
of  sentiment  and  language  which  prevailed  ten  years 
ago,  is  slowly  yielding  to  something  better,  and  plain 
spoken  as  the  Mormons  now  are,  they  would  hardly 
listen  quietly  to  the  indecent  harangues  once  so  com¬ 
mon  from  Heber  C.  Kimball.  Though  they  constantly 
insist  that  they  care  nothing  for  the  Gentile  world,  and 
will  not  be  moved  by  its  opinions,  yet  the  Mormons 
are  being  slowly  improved  in  spite  of  themselves  ;  they 
have  adopted  Sunday  schools,  daily  papers,  and  lyce- 


380  LIFE  IX  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

urns  from  the  Gentiles  settled  among  them,  and  a  more 
healthy  sentiment  is  struggling  weakly  against  the  tide 
of  corruption.  But  with  all  present  mitigating  features, 
polygamy  still  remains  the  foulest  blot  upon  America’s 
fame,  and  the  Mormons  still  defy  every  law  of  God  and 
man  in  their  doctrines,  and,  to  some  extent,  in  their 
practice.  Such,  in  brief,  is  Mormonism.  While  all  the 
world  is  striving  to  move  on  to  a  higher,  more  spiritual 
plane  of  religious  truth,  they  have  turned  back  to  the 
gross  forms  and  symbols  of  the  time  when  religion  was 
in  its  infancy.  It  is  as  though  the  old  mathematician 
should  throw  aside  his  acquired  learning,  and  go  back 
to  the  sticks  and  balls  with  which  he  learned  to  count. 
While  the  Christian  world  is  rejoicing,  that  Christ  has 
freed  us  “from  the  yoke  which  our  fathers  were  not 
able  to  bear,”  they  go  back  two  thousand  years,  and 
seek  all  their  examples  from  a  barbarous  age  and  a 
stiff-necked  and  rebellious  people.  And  their  practice 
is  like  their  faith.  Claiming  a  religion  which  will 
elevate  men  to  gods ,  they  plead  for  examples  the  base 
instincts  of  the  brute  creation ;  with  snow  in  sight  the 
year  round,  they  pattern  their  domestic  life  after  that 
of  inter-tropical  barbarians,  and  vainly  hope  to  produce 
the  vigor  of  hardy  North-men  from  the  worst  practices 
of  effeminate  Asiatics. 


AND  CHIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


381 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

THE  MORMON  THEOCRACY. 

Absolutism— An  ancient  model — Three  governments  in  Utah — Church 
officials — First  President — First  Presidency — “  The  worst  man  in  Utah  ” 
— Quorum  of  Apostles — “  The  Twelve” — A  dozen  men  with  fifty-two 
wives — President  of  Seventies — Patriarch — “  A  blessing  for  a  dollar  ” — 
Bishops— Division  of  the  City  and  Territory — Their  magisterial  capacity 
High  Council — Judge  and  jury — Ward  teachers — The  confessional — The 
priesthood — Aaronic  and  Melchisedec — Evangelists — Secret  police  or 
“Danites  ” — Civil  government  only  an  appendage — Excessive  power  of 
the  Mormon  Courts — Perversions  of  law  and  justice — Organic  Act  de¬ 
fective — Federal  Judges — Their  weakness  and  disgrace — Verdict  by 
ecclesiastical  “counsel” — Verdicts  dictated  from  the  pulpit— Probate 
Judges  really  appointed  by  Brigham  Young — Voting  system — Marked 
ballots — “Protecting  the  ballot” — The  Hooper-McGroarty  race — Plu- 

Irality  of  offices  as  well  as  wives — Tyranny  of  the  Church — The  Mormon 
vs.  the  American  idea— The  evils  of  which  Gentiles  complain. 

In  government,  as  in  doctrine  and  practice,  the  Mor¬ 
mons  have  adopted  the  most  ancient  model.  But  it 
was  not  quite  possible  even  for  them  to  entirely  ignore 
the  popular  element,  hence  they  have  pieced  out  their 
theocracy  with  a  shred  of  universal  suffrage,  proving 

I  themselves  eclectic  in  politics  as  well  as  theology. 
Government  in  Utah  is  to  be  viewed  in  three  relations, 
3r  rather,  there  are  as  many  distinct  governments  : — 

I.  The  recognized  and  openly  acknowledged  ecelesi- 
;  istical  government  of  the  Mormon  Church. 

II.  The  secret  and  irresponsible  government  operated 
|oy  a  few  of  the  leading  men. 


382 


LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 


III.  The  Territorial  government,  which  was  for  years 
but  the  mere  convenient  machine  of  the  Church,  and 
has  but  lately  stood  forth  in  anything  like  its  intended 
character. 

For  the  success  of  such  an  institution  as  Mormonism, 
it  was  absolutely  necessary  there  should  be  a  recognized 
priesthood,  through  which  channel  alone,  all  commands 
from  heaven  should  come.  If  any  man  who  66  felt  the 
moving  of  the  Spirit”  was  at  liberty  to  prophesy, 
prophets  would  soon  cease  to  have  any  honor.  It  was 
necessary,  too,  that  this  priesthood  should  bear  com¬ 
plete  rule,  and  to  this  end  an  ignorant  laity  was  neces¬ 
sary.  These  conditions  have  all  been  filled,  and  the 
Mormon  Church  stands  forth  complete  as  a  theocratic 
absolutism.  I  present  in  the  order  of  their  rank,  the 
various  officers  of  the  Church,  and  the  duties  connected 
with  them. 

First  President. 

This  officer  stands  at  the  head  of  all  the  affairs 
of  the  Church,  temporal  and  spiritual,  financial  and 
priestly ;  he  alone  has  the  power  of  “  sealing,”  though 
in  some  cases  he  may  delegate  it,  and  he  only  is  ac¬ 
knowledged  revelator.  This  office,  first  filled  by  Joseph 
Smith,  is  now  held  by  Brigham  Young,  who  is  “  Prophet, 
Priest,  Seer,  Revelator  in  all  the  world,  First  President 
and  Trustee-in-trust  of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of 
Latter-Day  Saints,”  and  doubtless  ex-officio  the  reposi¬ 
tory  of  any  other  needed  office  or  power. 

To  consider  him  in  all  these  roles*  would  exceed  my 

*  Those  who  are  curious  to  learn  more  fully  of  Brigham  Young, 
and  his  wives  and  children,  will  find  this  with  much  other  valuable 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM.  383 

present  space;  his  various  powers  will  appear  more 
fully  in  the  course  of  the  work.  Suffice  it  to  say,  that 
as  Prophet,  he  holds  the  “  keys  of  the  kingdom,”  and 
without  his  permission  none  can  enter  the  Church  or  be 
saved ;  as  Revelator,  he  unfolds  to  the  people  the  will 
of  God  concerning  them ;  as  Seer,  he  is  warned  to  avoid 
any  danger  which  may  be  in  the  future  for  him  or  his 
people,  and,  as  Priest,  he  “  seals  ”  men  and  women  for 
eternity.  In  temporal  matters  he  is  equally  absolute. 
As  President,  he  orders  all  the  concerns  of  the  Church, 
appoints  new  bishops  and  elders,  and  determines  the 
political  bearings  of  the  community ;  as  Trustee-in¬ 
trust,  all  the  title  to  the  Church  property  is  in  his 
name,  he  buys,  sells,  and  conveys  it  with  no  fixed  sys¬ 
tem  of  rendering  account ,  and  as  Treasurer  of  the  Per¬ 
petual  Emigrating  Fund,  his  draft  alone  can  be  honored 
where  the  funds  are  on  deposit.  He  claims  and  is 
acknowledged  by  his  followers,  to  be  the  Supreme 
Pontiff  of  the  world  in  all  spiritual  matters,  and 
entitled  to  the  obedience  of  all  Mormons. 

True,  there  are  various  parties  now  rising  up  among 
the  Mormons,  who  claim  that  the  President  is  entitled 
to  their  obedience  only  within  certain  limits ;  but  they 
are  generally  held  as  heretics,  “  governed  by  an  apos¬ 
tate  spirit,”  and  all  “  good  Mormons  ”  claim  that  they 
are  bound  by  the  orders  of  the  Prophet,  even  to  matters 
of  life  and  death.  The  doctrine  has  lately  been  still 
more  authoritatively  declared  by  the  First  President 

l  information,  in  the  ably  written  and  only  authentic  work  on  the  sub¬ 
ject  :  The  Mormon  Prophet  and  His  Harem,  Written  by  Mrs. 
C.  Y.  Waite.  Printed  at  the  Riverside  Press ,  Cambridge,  1866. 


384  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

and  his  Counselors,  that  “  it  is  apostasy  to  differ  with 
the  Priesthood — though  ever  so  honestly — a  man  may 
honestly  differ,  and  go  to  hell  for  it.”  If  there  is  any 
limit  to  his  power,  it  is  not  apparent  to  the  Gentile  mind. 

THE  FIRST  PRESIDENCY. 

This  consists  of  the  First  President  and  his  First  and 
Second  Counselors,  George  A.  Smith  and  Daniel  H. 
Wells.  The  first  place  was  formerly  filled  by  Heber  C. 
Kimball,  who  died  a  short  time  before  I  entered  the 
Territory,  and  at  the  ensuing  Conference,  Smith  was 
chosen  to  the  place.  These  last  also  have  the  title  of 
President,  they  are  the  Lieutenants  and  Prime  Ministers 
of  the  President  to  do  all  his  commands,  and  are  autho¬ 
rized  to  act  in  various  capacities  in  his  absence.  In  ad¬ 
dition  George  A.  Smith  is  Church  Historian,  and  Dan¬ 
iel  H.  Wells  is  Mayor,  Justice  of  the  Peace  and  Lieu¬ 
tenant-General  of  the  Nauvoo  Legion.  He  seems  to 
bear  about  him  less  of  the  ecclesiastical  character  than 
his  colleague,  and  is  generally  denominated  ’Squire 
Wells;  but  he  is  probably  the  worst  man  in  the  Hier¬ 
archy,  being  both  a  half-crazy  fanatic  and  a  blood-thirsty 
bigot. 

QUORUM  OF  APOSTLES. 

The  body  third  in  importance  in  the  Church  is  the 
College  or  Quorum  of  the  Twelve  Apostles.  They 
come  much  nearer  to  the  people  than  the  First  Presi¬ 
dency,  as  the  whole  Mormon  territory  is  nominally  di¬ 
vided  between  them,  and  it  is  their  duty  to  inspect 
their  various  districts  and  see  “  that  each  stake  is  set 
in  order.”  Individual  Apostles  are  often  put  in  charge 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


385 


of  foreign  missions,  sent  away  to  edit  newspapers  or 
magazines,  or  to  preside  over  some  newly  selected 
“  stake  ”  of  the  extending  settlements,  in  either  of 
which  cases,  another  Apostle  is  chosen  in  place  of  the 
absent.  Thus  there  are  sometimes  as  many  as  fifteen 
acting  Apostles,  but  only  the  Twelve  are  entitled  to 
seats  in  the  Quorum  at  one  time. 

I  present  the  list  as  it  stood  during  my  residence  in 
Utah,  and  as  an  Apostle’s  dignity,  like  that  of  most 
other  officers,  depends  largely  upon  the  number  of  his 
wives,  I  give  their  number  also : 


Orson  Hyde, 

First  Apostle , 

Five  Wives. 

Orson  Pratt, 

Second 

u 

Four 

u 

John  Taylor, 

Third 

u 

Seven 

u 

Wilford  Woodruff, 

Fourth 

u 

Three 

u 

Joseph  F.  Smith, 

Fifth 

u 

Three 

u 

Amasa  Lyman, 

Sixth 

u 

Five 

u 

Ezra  Benson, 

Seventh 

u 

Four 

u 

Charles  Rich, 

Eighth 

u 

Seven 

u 

Lorenzo  Snow, 

Ninth 

u 

Four 

u 

Erastus  Snow, 

Tenth 

a 

Three 

u 

Franklin  Richards, 

Eleventh 

u 

Four 

u 

George  Q.  Cannon, 

Twelfth 

u 

Three 

u 

Ezra  Benson  died  last  summer,  and  his  place  had  not 
been  supplied  when  I  left  Utah.  With  the  exception 
of  John  Taylor  the  Apostles  are  reported  to  be  poor 
men  ;  Orson  Pratt  particularly  is  in  very  moderate  cir¬ 
cumstances,  and  Orson  Hyde  has  the  reputation  of 
being  “  an  inveterate  beggar,”  in  an  ecclesiastical  way, 
of  course. 


25 


386 


LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 


PRESIDENT  OF  SEVENTIES. 

This  office  appears  to  rank  next  to  that  of  an  Apos¬ 
tle,  and  arises  as  follows  :  The  great  working  body  of 
male  Mormons  is  divided  into  seventy  Quorums,  each 
having  nominally  seventy  members,  though,  in  reality, 
they  range  everywhere  from  ten  to  seventy.  Each  has 
a  President  and  these,  collectively  known  as  the 
Seventy,  constitute  a  grand  missionary  board,  which 
has  the  general  control  of  all  matters  connected  with 
propagating  the  faith.  These  seventy  Presidents  have 
also  a  President,  filling  the  office  under  consideration. 
These  offices  have  no  special  rank  in  the  Church,  as  an 
Apostle  or  leading  elder  may  be  but  a  lay  member  in 
this  order. 


PATRIARCH. 

I  place  this  office  fifth  in  rank  because,  though  of 
great  sanctity  and  honor,  it  is  entirely  spiritual,  con¬ 
ferring  no  power.  His  business  is  merely  to  grant  “  bles¬ 
sings,”  written  out  and  signed  by  him.  The  usual  fee 
therefor  is  one  dollar,  and  the  “  blessings/’  as  far  as  I 
have  read  any  of  them,  consist  of  vague  and  general 
promises  that  the  recipient  will  “  be  blessed  if  faithful.” 
The  first  Patriarch  in  the  Church  was  “  Old  Father 
Smith,”  or  J oseph,  father  of  the  Prophet,  who  was  suc¬ 
ceeded  by  the  latter’s  brother  Hyrum,  he  by  “  uncle  ” 
John  Smith,  cousin  of  Joe,  and  he  in  turn  by  William 
Smith,  son  of  “  Hyrum  the  martyr.”  To  hold  this 
office  the  only  qualifications  which  seem  necessary,  are 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


387 


that  one  should  be  an  “  uncle  ”  and  a  Smith,  neither  of 
which  is  liable  to  fail  for  some  time 

i 

BISHOPS. 

We  now  consider  purely  temporal  officers,  a  set  of 
men  who  direct  municipal  regulations  and  are,  as  occa¬ 
sion  demands,  either  officers  of  the  Church  or  Civil 
Magistrates.  Of  these  the  most  important  is  the  bishop. 
Salt  Lake  City  is  divided  into  twenty-one  wards,  each 
of  which  has  a  bishop,  and  the  entire  Territory  is  in 
the  same  manner  conveniently  divided  into  wards  with 
a  bishop  over  each.  They  “  hear  and  determine  ”  all 
complaints,  and  as  they  are,  under  the  peculiar  statutes 
of  Utah,  also  Probate  Judges  in  their  respective  counties, 
they  govern  Gentiles  in  that  character.  Thus,  as 
spiritual  guide  in  all  matters  of  dispute  among  members 
of  his  flock,  and  civil  magistrate,  in  all  cases  where 
Gentiles  are  concerned,  the  bishop  is  equally  “master 
of  the  situation,”  and  fully  apprized  of  whatever  is 
going  on.  Hence,  also,  his  character  as  informer. 
From  his  decision  as  Judge  the  Gentile  may  appeal  to 
the  Superior  Court,  at  Salt  Lake  City ;  from  his  epis¬ 
copal  adjudications  the  Mormon  can  appeal  to  the 

HIGH  COUNCIL. 

This  body  is  composed  of  fifteen  men,  chosen  from 
the  High  Priests.  Twelve  act  as  a  jury,  of  whom  a 
majority  decide  the  case,  and  the  other  three  pass 
sentence,  or  fix  the  damages  and  costs.  From  this 
tribunal  there  is  an  appeal  to  the  First  Presidency. 
The  bishop  is  assisted  in  his  labors  by  the 


388 


LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

r 

WARD  TEACHERS. 

Their  duty  is  to  visit  all  the  people  in  their  ward, 
report  all  suspected  persons,  catechize  every  one  as  to 
personal  feeling,  belief,  etc.,  to  report  all  irregularities, 
heresies,  false  doctrine  and  schism,  and  generally  to 
act  as  spies  and  informers.  On  these  visitations  every 
person  is  obliged  to  formally  subscribe  to  all  the  doc¬ 
trines  of  the  Church,  and  many  misdemeanors  and 
even  criminal  ties  are  hushed  up  in  the  ward  where 
they  occur,  without  the  slightest  knowledge  thereof 
being  made  public.  Hence  much  of  the  reputation  for 
good  order,  claimed  by  the  Mormons.  In  one  instance, 
which  came  to  my  knowledge,  an  atrocious  rape,  com¬ 
mitted  upon  a  girl  thirteen  years  old,  was  not  known 
outside  of  the  ward  where  it  occurred  until  one  year 
after,  and  it  would  probably  not  have  been  then  made 
known,  had  not  the  father  of  the  girl  apostatized.  In 
many  cases  boys  of  fifteen  years  fill  the  place  of 
Teacher,  and  are  required  to  report  the  doings  of  their 
fellows.  All  Mormons  are  solemnly  sworn  to  keep  no 
secrets  from  the  Teachers,  and  on  their  monthly  visits 
to  each  family  these  have  the  right  to  see  each  person 
alone,  and  hold  a  strict  and  nasty  “  confessional.” 
This,  with  the  “  Danite  ”  or  secret  police  system,  makes 
of  Mormon  society  a  united  and  tyrannized  whole. 

THE  PRIESTHOOD. 

Thus  far  I  have  treated  rather  of  the  temporal 
offices,  but  all  officiating  Mormons  are  divided  into 
two  bodies — The  Aaronic  and  the  Melchisedec  Priest -* 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


389 


hood.  The  latter  is  the  superior,  and  in  many  respects 
includes  the  former ;  it  is  both  spiritual  and  temporal,  * 
while  the  former  is  exclusively  temporal  A  High 
Priest  of  the  Melchwedec  order  may  always  officiate  in 
place  of  an  Aaronic  Priest ;  but  without  special  ordain- 
ment,  the  latter  is  always  confined  to  temporal  affairs. 
All  the  higher  officials  belong  to  the  Melchisedec  order. 
The  High  Priest  ranks  next  to  the  Apostle,  and  after 
him  some  order  of  Elders,  below  whom  are  simple 
Priests  and  ordinary  Elders.  In  these  different  ranks 
all  Mormons  are  Priests  of  some  sort,  and  in  religious 
cant  speak  of  themselves  as  “  Kings  and  Priests  of  the 
most  High  God.” 

EVANGELISTS. 

These,  as  the  name  implies,  are  propagandists.  The 
name  seems  to  indicate  a  kind  of  work  rather  than 
specific  rank  or  office. 

Such  is  the  recognized  ecclesiastical  polity  of  the 
Church.  But  lest  this  should  not  prove  effective  in  all 
cases,  or  some  should  grow  restive  under  such  restraint, 
the  Church  has  often  used  an  order  of  secret  police, 
popularly  known  as  “Danites.”  This  order  was  first 
instituted  during  the  troubles  in  Missouri ;  it  was  re¬ 
modeled  in  the  third  or  fourth  year  of  their  residence  at 
Nauvoo,  and  has  been  continued  since.  By  some  of  the 
Mormons  its  existence  is  denied,  by  others  defended  on 
the  score  of  self-protection.  That  thousands  of  honest 
Mormons  are  ignorant  of  and  do  not  believe  in  its  exists 
ence,  I  am  well  aware ;  but  that  it  has  been,  and  to 
some  extent  is  yet,  an  active  working  force,  is  as  clearly 


390  LIFE  IN  UTAH  ;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

proved  as  any  fact  can  be.  From  the  nature  of  the  case 
but  little  can  be  known  of  its  secret  organization;  its 
work  plainly  appears  in  the  course  of  Mormon  history. 

With  all  their  ecclesiastical  organization,  both  public 
and  private,  much  would  have  remained  beyond  their 
power  to  compass  without  a  civil  government ;  and  the 
manner  in  which  they  have  used  it,  merely  to  further 
Church  policy,  is  a  singular  comment  on  the  forbearance 
of  a  republican  government. 

The  most  common  perversion  of  right,  and  yet  the  most 
is  difficult  to  be  comprehended  by  residents  in  the  East, 
the  peculiar  manner  in  which  the  laws  and  local  courts  of 
the  Territory  are  made  an  engine  of  tyranny  in  the  hands 
of  the  ruling  oligarchy.  Like  every  other  territory, 
Utah  has  Federal  District  Courts  and  local  Probate 
Courts ;  but  unlike  any  other  State  or  territory  in  the 
Union,  the  powers  and  jurisdiction  of  the  latter  are 
made  superior  to  those  of  the  former.  Section  29,  page 
31  of  the  Territorial  Statutes,  gives  the  Probate  Courts 
general  jurisdiction  in  all  matters,  civil  and  criminal; 
while  section  1  of  an  “  Act  in  relation  to  Bills  of  Divorce 
and  Alimony,”  gives  the  Probate  Courts  exclusive  juris¬ 
diction  over  all  such  cases,  thus  making  them  superior 
to  the  Federal  District  Courts  in  such  matters,  and 
equal  to  them  in  every  other  respect. 

All  this  in  opposition  to  the  fact  that  the  Organic 
Act  of  Utah  gives  the  Legislature  no  power  to  build  up 
such  local  courts,  and  in  other  territories  this  matter 
has  been  settled  by  appeal  to  the  Supreme  Court,  and 
by  its  decision  the  Probate  Courts  limited  to  probate 
matters  and  a  very  limited  civil  jurisdiction.  But  the 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


391 


Organic  Act  provides  that  the  Probate  or  County  Courts 
shall  have  “  such  jurisdiction  as  shall  be  prescribed  by 
law,”  and  from  this  loose  wording  the  Legislature  claims 
the  right  to  give  them  jurisdiction  over  all  subjects  what¬ 
ever.  This  anomaly  in  the  judicial  system  is  not  with¬ 
out  good  cause.  The  District  Judges  are  United  States 
officials,  and  are  supposed  to  be  supporting  the  national 
authority;  the  Probate  Judges  are  simply  the  bishops 
or  elders  in  the  different  counties,  over  whom  Brigham’s 
power  is  absolute.  In  former  days,  Brigham  divorced 
whomsoever  he  saw  fit,  on  his  own  motion,  and  on  pay¬ 
ment  of  a  fee  of  ten  dollars.  He  boasted  once  in  a 
sermon,  that  he  made  enough  this  way,  “  by  their 
d — d  foolishness,  to  keep  him  in  spending  money.”  But 
of  late  years  it  has  been  thought  best  to  give  some  at¬ 
tention  to  forms  of  law  ;  and  now,  though  parties  must 
first  be  divorced  by  Brigham,  or  a  special  deputy  within 
the  Church  law,  yet,  after  that,  they  must  have  a  legal 
divorce  in  the  Probate  Courts.  Of  course,  it  never  hap¬ 
pens  that  Brigham’s  wishes  are  disregarded  in  the 
Probate.  But  this  is  their  own  affair ;  it  is  with  their 
criminal  jurisdiction  that  Gentiles  have  to  do.  A  case 
which  occured  in  a  southern  settlement,  while  I  was  in 
Utah,  illustrates  in  so  forcible  a  manner  their  style  of 
getting  rid  of  obnoxious  citizens,  that  I  set  it  forth  entire. 

In  1860,  a  lad  of  that  district,  of  more  than -ordinary 
intelligence,  left  for  California,  where  he  remained  for 
eight  years,  when  he  returned  home  with  a  consider¬ 
able  amount  of  money,  and  of  course,  with  no  disposition 
to  submit  to  the  exactions  of  Mormonism.  His  parents 
being  Mormons,  and  that  his  native  place,  he  properly 


392  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

belonged  to  the  class  known  as  “  hickory  Mormons  ”  or 
“  Come-outers.”  With  plenty  of  money,  and  being 
well  dressed,  he  went  into  all  their  dances  and  social 
parties,  became  a  great  favorite  with  the  Mormon 
girls,  did  not  hesitate  to  express  his  opinion  about  the 
bishops  and  elders,  and,  in  short,  his  example  was,  as 
the  bishop  said,  “  d — d  demoralizing.”  One  evening 
he  accompanied  a  Mormon’s  daughter  from  the  village, 
to  her  home  in  the  country.  On  their  way  was  a  nar¬ 
row  ravine,  about  half  way  between  two  houses  which 
were  just  a  furlong  apart.  They  remained  some  min¬ 
utes  in  this  hollow,  and  were  afterwards  seen  chatting 
for  half  an  hour  at  her  father’s  gate.  One  week  after¬ 
wards  he  was  arrested  on  a  charge  of  rape !  He  was 
first  taken  before  a  magistrate,  where  he  demanded  a 
jury  of  twelve  men,  and  was  by  them  unanimously  ac¬ 
quitted.  Then  the  Bishop  of  the  settlement,  also  a 
Probate  Judge,  issued  a  bench  warrant,  pronounced  all 
the  proceedings  before  the  magistrate  void,  brought  the 
young  man  before  himself,  and  by  the  aid  of  her  father, 
absolutely  forced  the  girl  to  testify  against  him,  and 
upon  evidence  that  would  have  been  laughed  out  of 
court  in  any  State,  pronounced  him  guilty,  and  sen¬ 
tenced  him  to  the  penitentiary  for  ten  years  !  He  was 
started  at  once  for  the  prison  in  Salt  Lake  City,  but 
managed  to  inform  Judge  Strickland,  a  lawyer  of  the 
city,  who  succeeded  in  having  him  brought  before  Chief 
Justice  Wilson,  of  the  District  Court,  by  writ  of  habeas 
corpus ,  where  the  girl  refused  to  testify  to  anything 
criminating  him,  and  he  was  released.  This  atrocious 
perversion  of  legal  principles,  is  practiced  all  over  the 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


393 


country  settlements  by  these  bishops — -judges,  who  are 
directed  in  their  proceedings  by  “  authority,”  and  use 
their  offices  to  drive  out,  or  scare  away  all  “  Come- 
outers”  or  recusant  Mormons.  If  the  accused  is  brought 
to  Salt  Lake  City,  the  United  States  officials  are  often 
able  to  interfere ;  but  no  matter  how  plain  and  direct 
the  evidence,  as  in  the  case  above,  nine-tenths  of  the 
Mormons  merely  think  it  another  case,  in  which  a  vile 
criminal  is  let  loose  upon  them  by  Gentile  Judges. 

As  might  be  expected,  the  Brighamites  are  very 
tenacious  of  this  great  power  in  their  hands,  and 
threaten  and  bluster  whenever  it  is  questioned.  In  a 
case  tried  before  Chief  Justice  Wilson,  the  power  of  the 
Probate  Courts  w'as  put  in  issue,  and  on  the  20th  of 
November,  1868,  when  this  case  wTas  argued,  Z.  Snow, 
a  Mormon  lawyer,  and  Attorney-General  for  Utah,  said: 
“If  his  Honor  decided  against  such  jurisdiction,  blood 
would  flow  in  the  streets  of  this  City.”  From  the 
known  character  of  Judge  Snow,  it  is  highly  probable 
he  never  would  have  made  such  a  statement  but  by 
express  direction  from  Brigham  Young.  The  statement 
was  made  in  open  court,  in  presence  of  the  entire  bar  of 
the  city,  and  a  few  moments  after  consultation  with  his 
associate  counsel,  also  a  Mormon.  The  plain  meaning 
of  this  was,  that  the  Brighamites  intended  to  obey  the 
law  only  when  construed  in  their  favor,  but  otherwise 
to  evade  it,  and,  when  safe,  try  violence.  Fair  notice 
was  thus  given  to  all  officials  to  yield,  or  be  crushed. 
Judge  Snow  also  said  that,  until  within  a  few  years, 
“United  State  Judges  had  not  resided  here  but  a  very 
small  portion  of  their  time,  though  he  did  not  know 
why.” 


394  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

This  hint  opens  to  remembrance  a  melancholy  view 
of  the  dishonor  to  our  Government  through  its  officials 
in  Utah.  Not  that  Brigham  Young  has  tried  violence 
in  many  cases.  He  is  far  too  wary  for  that.  Brute 
force  is  the  last  resort  of  a  really  astute  mind,  like  that 
of  Brigham.  Chicane  is  his  natural  weapon,  and  with 
it  he  has  completely  circumvented  the  majority  of  the 
judges;  assisted  too  often  by  the  imbecile  appointments 
from  the  time  of  Fillmore  until  Lincoln  s  Administration. 
The  first  judge,  Perry  E.  Brochus,  was  incautious  in  his 
attacks  upon  polygamy,  and,  having  been  led  to  believe 
that  his  life  was  in  danger,  left  the  Territory.  Another 
official  was  detected  in  immorality,  and  resigned  to 
avoid  exposure ;  another  disgraced  his  office  by  taking  a 
prostitute  upon  the  bench  with  him ;  another  impaired 
his  efficiency  by  secret  drinking;  and  still  another 
allowed  himself  to  be  completely  entrapped  by  two  of 
Brigham’s  “  decoy  women.”  One  of  these  delinquents 
was  followed  into  Weber  Canon  by  a  self-appointed 
committee  of  “Mormon  boys,”  and  received  at  their 
hands  a  severe  castigation. 

It  is  a  prime  principle  of  the  Mormon  faith  that  their 
affairs  ought  not  to  come  before  a  Gentile  Court  at  all ; 
and  if  they  must  go  there  in  a  case  where  a  Gentile  is 
interested,  the  jury  should  be  governed  by  “counsel” 
in  making  up  their  verdict.  But  there  seem  to  have 
been  restive  spirits,  even  in  the  most  palmy  days  of  the 
Church  government,  who  were  often  chastised  from  the 
Mormon  pulpit,  as  witness  the  following  from  a  sermon 
delivered  in  the  Tabernacle  by  Jedediah  M.  Grant,  one 
of  Brigham  Young’s  councilors,  on  Sunday,  March  2d, 
1856 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


395 


“  Last  Sunday  the  President  chastised  some  of  the 
Apostles  and  Bishops  who  were  on  the  grand  jury. 
Did  he  fully  succeed  in  clearing  away  the  fog  that  sur¬ 
rounded  them,  and  in  removing  blindness  from  their 
eyes?  No;  for  they  could  go  to  their  room  and  again 
disagree,  though  to  their  credit  be  it  said,  a  little  expla¬ 
nation  made  them  unanimous  in  their  action.  But 
how  is  it  with  the  little  jury?  Some  of  them  have 
got  into  the  fog  to  suck  down  the  words  and  eat  the 
filth  of  a  Gentile  court,  ostensibly  a  court  in  Utah.” 
This  extract  gives  a  sufficiently  clear  idea  of  the  jury 
system  in  U tah,  and  from  all  that  has  yet  appeared  the 
attempt  to  enforce  any  Federal  statute  by  Mormon  ju¬ 
ries,  would  simply  amount  to  a  solemn  farce.  To  ren¬ 
der  the  matter  worse,  these  Bishop-judges  are  not 
elected  by  the  people,  but  under  the  provisions  of  the 
Judiciary  Act,  are  appointed  by  the  Territorial  Legis¬ 
lature,  which  means  in  effect  by  Brigham  Young; 
thus  the  Judiciary  are  as  completely  under  his  man¬ 
agement  as  the  officers  of  the  ecclesiastical  organization. 
One  might  think  there  was  still  some  chance  for  the 
people  in  voting,  and  many  are  inclined  to  ask :  If 
there  is  dissatisfaction,  or  opposition  to  Brigham  Young  s 
government,  can  it  not  make  itself  felt  in  the  elections  ? 
Even  this  outlet  is  effectually  barred  by  the  following 
Section  of  “  An  Act  regulating  elections,”  passed  in 
January,  1853  : 

1“  Each  elector  shall  provide  himself  with  a  ballot 
containing  the  names  of  the  persons  he  wishes  elected, 
and  the  offices  he  would  have  them  fill,  and  present  it 
<  neatly  folded  to  the  judge  of  the  election,  who  shall 


396  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

number  it  and  deposit  it  in  the  ballot-box.  The  clerk 
shall  then  write  the  name  of  the  elector  and  opposite 
thereto  the  number  of  his  vote.” 

With  a  sarcasm  which  is  almost  amusing,  the  Mormon 
leaders  call  this  a  measure  “  to  protect  the  freedom  and 
purity  of  the  ballot.”  Thus  artistically  do  they  abolish 
the  free  vote  while  they  retain  the  ballot.  “  Thus,” 
says  the  English  Captain  Burton,  their  apologist,  “they 
retain  the  privilege  of  voting,  while  they  avoid  the 
evils  of  universal  suffrage;  subjecting,  as  it  always 
should  be,  the  ignorant  many  to  the  supervision  of  the 
intelligent  few.” 

Under  this  system,  Brigham  Young’s  emissary  can 
go  into  any  precinct  in  the  Territory  and  discover  just 
how  any  man  has  voted  at  any  election  for  the  last 
fifteen  years  !  And  with  this  ignorant  people,  alive  to 
spiritual  terrors,  and  knowing  too  well  what  temporal 
trouble  may  be  brought  upon  them,  it  is  plain  that  the 
opposition  must  be  in  a  majority  before  it  can  venture 
to  make  itself  known.  It  cannot  make  a  start  to  con¬ 
solidate.  It  may  be  worthy  of  note  here,  that  all  the 
officers  of  the  Mormon  Church  are  proposed  for  re-elec¬ 
tion  or  rejection,  twice  every  year,  at  the  General 
Conferences,  thus  apparently  tempering  this  theocratic 
absolutism  with  universal  suffrage,  women  voting  as 
well  as  men.  But  only  three  instances  have  been 
known  of  persons  daring  to  vote  against  the  known 
wishes  of  the  Hierarchy ;  and  in  each  case  the  offenders 
were  promptly  cited  before  the  High  Council  and  re¬ 
quired  to  explain,  in  default  of  which  they  were  “  cut 
off  ”  as  being  in  a  “  spirit  of  apostasy.”  Practically, 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


397 


one  man  in  each  settlement  or  ward  might  just  as  well 
do  all  the  voting.  The  Church  puts  her  ticket  in  the 
field,  and  the  bishop  directs  the  people  to  vote  it,  which 
they  do  accordingly. 

On  one  memorable  occasion,  it  is  said,  a  sort  of 
spiritual  rebellion  occurred  in  the  Utah  Lake  district, 
where  many  American  converts  reside,  and  the  opposi¬ 
tion  candidate  to  the  Legislature  was  elected.  On 
reaching  Salt  Lake  City  the  successful  candidate  was 
simply  “  counseled  ”  to  resign,  did  so  quietly,  and  the 
regular  nominee  was  declared  entitled  to  the  seat. 
Three  years  ago  the  Jews,  Gentiles,  Apostates  and  re¬ 
cusant  Mormons  of  the  Thirteenth  Ward,  in  the  city, 
found  they  had  a  majority,  as  nearly  all  of  these  classes 
in  the  city  lived  in  that  ward.  They  elected  Bishop 
Wooley,  a  good  Mormon,  however,  for  Councilman, 
against  the  regular  nominee.  The  Bishop  was  at  once 
cited  before  Brigham,  promptly  resigned  according  to 
“counsel,”  and  the  other  candidate  was  admitted  to 
the  seat. 

When  the  celebrated  and  somewhat  amusing  Hooper- 
McGroarty  race,  for  delegate  to  Congress,  took  place, 
hundreds  who  would  have  voted  for  an  available  Gen¬ 
tile  nominee,  but  who  regarded  McGroarty’s  candidacy 
as  a  mere  burlesque,  did  not  vote  at  all ;  consequently 
that  gentleman  received  less  than  two  hundred  votes, 
while,  as  the  Mormons  did  their  best,  Hooper  received 
some  fifteen  thousand.  It  is  yet  a  standing  joke  in 
Utah  to  repeat  portions  of  McGroarty’s  speech,  prepared 
to  be  delivered  before  Congress ;  he  employed  a  lawyer 
to  write  it  for  him,  and  while  committing  it  to  memory, 


» 


398  LIFE  IN  UTA.H;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

he  could  never  talk  ten  minutes  with  a  friend  without 
running  into  his  speech,  assuming  an  oratorical  manner, 
and  the  plural  number,  as  if  addressing  Congress. 

The  evils  of  this  system  of  voting  are  numerous,  be¬ 
sides  the  immense  power  it  gives  a  few  leaders ;  but  one 
is  particularly  noticeable,  the  number  and  variety  of 
offices  held  by  the  same  man.  In  the  town  of  Fillmore, 
the  old  capital,  at  one  time  one  man  held  the  offices  of 
County  Clerk  and  Recorder,  Town  Clerk  and  Justice  of 
the  Peace,  Assessor  and  Collector  of  Internal  Revenue, 
and  ex  officio  Overseer  of  the  Poor.  While  I  was  in 
Salt  Lake  City,  one  Robert  T.  Burton  was  Collector  of 
Internal  Revenue  for  the  Territory,  Sheriff  of  the  County, 
Assessor  and  Collector  of  Territorial  and  County  taxes, 
and  a  General  in  the  Nauvoo  Legion;  besides  being  a 
prominent  elder  in  the  Church,  the  husband  of  three 
wives,  and  one  of  the  chiefs  of  the  secret  police.  This 
Burton  is  the  man  who  led  the  posse  to  capture  the 
Morrisites,  a  sect  of  recusant  Mormons,  and,  according 
to  his  own  account,  shot  four  of  those  people  after  their 
surrender,  and  his  continuance  in  the  revenue  office  was 
a  damning  blot  upon  the  Johnson  administration  in 
Utah.  He  is  in  appearance 

1  ‘The  mildest  mannered  man 
That  ever  scuttled  ship  or  cut  a  throat.” 

But  if  there  is  truth  in  one-fourth  the  private  memoirs 
of  apostates,  he  is  a  most  cruel  and  blood-thirsty  bigot. 

All  the  various  civil  officers  are  at  the  same  time 
leading  dignitaries  in  the  Mormon  Church,  active 
agents  of  its  will,  chosen  to  their  civil  position  solely 
on  that  account;  they  consider  the  latter  far  inferior  in 


AND  GRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


399 


importance,  and,  in  fact,  subordinate  in  policy  to  their 
Church  dignities,  and  knowing  little,  if  any,  law,  they 
are  guided  by  ecclesiastical  authority  and  “  counsel.” 

Let  one  travel  wherever  he  will  through  the  outer 
settlements,  he  rarely  if  ever  hears  the  people  speak  of 
the  Probate  Judges  as  judges ;  it  is  always  “  the  bishop 
decided  so  and  so.”  With  them  he  is  always  acting  in 
his  character  as  bishop,  never  as  judge.  Nor  need  we 
be  surprised  at  this;  it  is  the  natural  conflict  under 
such  a  system,  between  the  theocratic,  the  ecclesiastical, 
and  the  popular,  the  democratic  and  laical.  The  Ameri¬ 
can  idea  is  that  power  is  derived  from  the  people,  is 
merely  delegated  to  the  officer,  and  rests  upon  the  just 
consent  of  the  governed.  The  Mormon  idea  is  exactly 
the  reverse  :  power  and  authority  come  from  above  and 
operate  downward  through  all  the  grades ;  the  official 
is  not  responsible  to  those  below  him— to  them  he  is 
the  voice  of  God — but  to  those  above  him ;  from  them 
he  derives  his  authority,  and  to  them  he  must  render 
an  account. 

In  the  words  of  a  Mormon  polemic,  “  It  is  not  con¬ 
sistent  that  the  people  of  God  should  organize  or  be 
subject  to  man-made  governments.  If  it  were  so,  they 
could  never  be  perfected.  There  can  be  but  one  perfect 
government — that  organized  by  God;  a  government 
by  apostles,  prophets,  priests,  teachers  and  evangelists ; 
the  order  of  the  original  Church,  of  all  churches  acknowl¬ 
edged  by  God.”  I  am  thus  minute  in  my  statements, 
because  so  many  people  in  the  East  have  an  idea  that 
polygamy  is  the  only  great  evil  of  Mormonism.  There 
are  many  evils  felt  more  than  that ;  in  fact,  polygamy 


400  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

in  itself  is  but  a  slight  annoyance  to  the  Gentile  resi¬ 
dents  of  Utah. 

Mormonism  was  an  unmitigated  evil  before  they  had 
polygamy ;  the  priests  ruled  the  ignorant  people  with 
spiritual  terrors,  and  that  made  them  dangerous  neigh¬ 
bors  and  troublesome  citizens  wherever  they  lived. 
Probably  some  of  these  other  evils  grew  out  of  or  have 
been  strengthened  by  polygamy,  but  that  of  itself 
troubles  other  residents  very  little.  It  is  that  the  Terri¬ 
tory  is  ruled  by  a  Church,  that  civil  and  legal  measures 
are  carried  by  ecclesiastical  policy  rather  than  law ;  that 
residents,  not  Mormons,  are  subjected  to  all  the  annoy¬ 
ances  of  petty  tyranny;  that  in  their  business  and 
social  life  they  are  constantly  subjected  to  the  secret 
espionage  of  the  Church ;  that  they  are  hampered  in 
business  by  church  hostility  and  the  imposition  of  ex¬ 
cessive  taxes ;  that  friends  and  fellow-countrymen  have 
been  secretly  murdered,  and  the  Church  prevents  them 
from  obtaining  justice ;  in  short,  they  are  exposed  to 
the  tyranny  of  an  unopposed  majority,  and  that  majority 
controlled  by  a  small  and  compact  hierarchy,  working 
out  its  Star-chamber  decrees  against  liberty  by  secret 
and,  to  the  people,  irresponsible  agents. 

It  is  this  that  grinds  the  feelings  of  American  citizens, 
not  polygamy,  though  that  is  a  great  moral  and  social 
evil.  The  Mormon  people  as  a  mass  are  naturally  dis¬ 
posed  to  deal  justly,  but,  unfortunately,  the  people  are 
ciphers,  and  it  seems  to  be  the  policy  of  their  leaders  to 
keep  them  in  a  constant  state  of  irritation  and  hostile 
feeling  towards  all  outsiders,  and  to  the  Government  of 
the  United  States. 

Thus  it  is  the  union  of  Church  and  State,  or  rathei 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


401 


the  absolute  subservience  of  the  State  to  the  Church, 
the  latter  merely  using  the  outside  organization  to  carry 
into  effect  decrees  already  concluded  in  secret  council, 
that  makes  Mormonism  our  enemy.  Missouri  and  Illi¬ 
nois  found,  at  dear  cost,  that  no  State  could  tolerate  a 
church  exercising  an  absolute  temporal  jurisdiction,  with¬ 
in  the  State,  but  independent  of  and  often  hostile  to  it; 
dominating  and  directing  the  action  of  courts  within  its 
influence,  subverting  free  institutions,  and  exercising  a 
greater  right  over  the  consciences  of  its  subjects  than  is 
claimed  by  the  laws  of  the  State.  In  short,  it  is  not 
the  social,  immoral,  or  polygamic  features  that  so  chiefly 
concern  us,  but  the  hostile,  the  treasonable  and  the 
mutinous.  The  law  against  polygamy  should  be  strictly 
enforced,  as  every  other  law  of  the  Government ;  but 
it  is  idle  to  say,  as  so  many  do,  that  that  is  the  only 
objection  to  the  Mormons,  or  to  the  admission  of  Utah 
as  a  State.  If  polygamy  were  blotted  out  to-morrow, 
we  could  never  admit  Utah  in  her  present  condition. 
Such  a  State  organization  would  be  opposed  to  every 
principle  of  our  political  structure,  and  our  Constitution 
was  never  meant  to  recognize  the  temporal  government 
of  a  church.  Happily  the  present  Administration  have 
recognized  many  of  the  needs  of  Utah,  and  begun  by 
removing  all  polygamists  and  Mormon  sympathizers 
from  office,  filling  their  places  with  good  men.  Much 
remains  to  be  done  by  the  Executive  and  Congress,  but 
it  is  gratifying  to  note  that  something  of  a  reform  has 
set  in,  and  that  Utah  is  no  longer  what  it  was  through 
three  Administrations,  “  the  Botany  Bay  of  worn-out 
politicians.” 

26 


402 


LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

RECUSANT  SECTS  OF  MORMONS. 

Repression  not  unity — Great  break  up  at  Nauvoo— Sidney  Higdon’ s  Church 
— J.  J.  Strang — Cutler,  Brewster,  and  Heddrick  :  “The  Gatherers” — 
The  “Truth-teller” — Lyman  Wight  in  Texas — San  Bernardino  Mor¬ 
mons — Apostasy,  Spiritualism  and  insanity — Brigham  supreme  in  Utah 
— First  Secession,  the  “Gladdenites” — Persecution  and  murders — Blood- 
atonement  introduced — Second  secession,  the  “Morrisites  ” — War  with 
the  Sect — Massacre  of  the  “  Morrisites  ’’  —  Governor  Harding’s  adven¬ 
ture — General  Connor  protects  the  recusants — Soda  Springs — Another 
Prophet — The  “infant  Christ” — Beginning  of  the  Josepliites — Emma 
and  her  sons— The  “Reorganized  Church”— First  Mission — Mission  of 
the  “Smith  Boys” — Excitement  at  Salt  Lake— Priestly  lying— The  God- 
be  Schism — Liberal  principles — Hopeful  indications — After  Brigham, 
Who  ? — Orson  Hyde  ? — Daniel  H.  W ells  ? — George  A.  Smith  ? — Probable 
future  of  the  Church. 


But  all  this  hedging  about  with  officials,  and  double- 
lock  of  civil,  ecclesiastical  and  secret  governments,  has 
not  always  held  the  Mormons  in  perfect  unity  or  pre¬ 
vented  schism  and  revolt.  Perfect  conformity  in  re¬ 
ligion  can  only  be  secured  by  the  rack,  the  stake, 
and  the  dungeon  of  the  inquisition ;  Mormonism  carried 
within  its  bosom  the  germs  of  disintegration,  long 
latent  though  they  might  be,  and  the  original  organiza¬ 
tion  has  from  time  to  time  given  rise  to  no  less  than 
twenty-five  sects,  ites  and  isms ,  of  which  six  or  seven, 
besides  the  main  branch  under  Brigham,  still  preserve 
a  sort  of  moribund  existence.  Like  the  non-juring 
bishops  of  Anglican  history,  secession  once  begun  con- 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


403 


stantly  repeated  itself;  the  recusant  and  deposed 
priests  in  turn  denounced  and  deposed  all  who  ques¬ 
tioned  their  prophetic  right,  and  each  of  the  sects 
solemnly  points  to  all  the  others,  as  blind  and  erring 
apostates,  whose  feet  are  treading  on  the  straight  line 
to  hell.  During  the  life  of  Joe  Smith  there  seem 
to  have  been  no  organized  secessions,  though  many 
apostasies  The  living  oracle  could  be  consulted,  with 
no  dispute  as  to  the  meaning  of  his  words ;  Joe  Smith 
Mormonism  was  true  or  none  was,  and  there  was  no 
other  alternative.  But  his  death  cut  off  the  source  of 
infallible  interpretation,  and  opened  the  way  at  once 
for  a  variance  in  doctrine.  Some  account  has  already 
been  given  of  the  struggle  for  succession,  and  it  only 
remains  to  briefly  note  the  course  of  the  diverging  sects, 
in  the  ever  shifting  phases  of  their  pseudo-theology 
and  protean  forms  of  error.  Of  all  the  scattering  sects 
no  other  had  a  leader  with  the  executive  ability, 
the  iron  nerve,  and  the  cruel,  remorseless  ambition  of 
Brigham  Young;  and,  in  consequence,  as  fast  as  they 
came  in  contact  with  purer  faiths,  most  of  their 
organizations  dissolved  and  fell  away. 

Sidney  Higdon  led  a  large  colony,  and  that  of  the 
best  material,  to  Pennsylvania;  but  there  was  not 
sufficient  ignorance  in  the  laity  or  secretive  cunning  in 
the  leader,  and  little  by  little  they  scattered  among  the 
Gentiles,  a  few  only,  with  Apostle  Wm.  Marks  at  their 
head,  returning  to  the  Brighamite  Church,  from  which 
they  afterwards  turned  away  to  young  Joe  Smith.  J. 
J.  Strang  had  multitudinous  revelations,  that  Wisconsin 
was  to  be  the  next  “  gathering  place  ”  of  the  Saints, 


404  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

and  a  few  thousand  followed  him  to  the  unsettled  por¬ 
tion  of  that  new  State.  He  afterwards  settled  the 
remnant  on  Beaver  Island,  in  Lake  Michigan,  and 
maintained  some  organization  till  his  death ;  no  prophet 
arising  after  him,  some  of  his  flock  went  “  hunting  for 
Zion  ”  in  Iowa  and  Missouri,  some  went  to  Salt  Lake, 
more  went  back  to  the  “ re-organized  Church’’  at  Plano, 
Illinois,  and  many  went  crazy. 

The  small  party  which  followed  William  Smith,  only 
surviving  brother  of  the  Prophet,  to  Northern  Illinois, 
soon  dissolved.  Elder  Brewster  took  another  party 
to  Western  Iowa,  and  Bishop  Heddriek,  a  considerable 
sect  into  Missouri,  both  of  which  fell  to  pieces  on  the 
death  of  the  leaders ;  but  the  remnants  have  lately  got 
together  under  a  new  prophet,  and  formed  the  sect 
known  as  “  Gatherers.”  They  are  attempting  to  gather 
and  settle  again  in  Jackson  County,  and  are  numerous 
enough  to  have  an  organ  called  “  The  Truthteller”  a 
weakly  periodical,  published  in  Western  Missouri. 
Bishop  Cutler  also  led  off  a  small  party  in  Northern 
Iowa,  and  after  his  death  most  of  them  returned  to  the 
“  Re-organized  Church.” 

When  the  Church  set  out  from  Nauvoo,  the  Apostles 
issued  orders  to  Elder  Sam  Brannan,  then  in  New 
York,  to  proceed  with  a  party  by  sea  to  their  intended 
destination  in  California.  He  accordingly  sailed  soon 
after  in  the  ship  Brooklyn,  with  a  body  of  two  hundred 
and  forty-six  foreign  converts,  and  $60,000  in  gold,  the 
property  of  the  Church ;  but,  arriving  at  San  Francisco 
(then  Yerba  Buena),  when  the  country  was  first  at¬ 
tracting  attention,  he,  and  most  of  his  party,  apostatized 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


405 


and  remained  there.  -He  invested  the  Church  funds  in 
real  estate,  and  became  one  of  San  Francisco’s  wealthi¬ 
est  citizens ;  but  has  since  repaid  the  money  to  the 
Church  with  interest. 

Soon  after,  Bishop  Lyman  Wight  led  another  large 
party  to  Texas,  where  they  increased  greatly,  and  were 
for  some  years  highly  prosperous.  They  at  first  ac¬ 
knowledged  allegiance  to  the  Twelve  Apostles,  but 
when  Brigham  took  the  reins  they  grew  restive ;  when 
polygamy  was  avowed,  Wight  solemnly  “  cut-off”  the 
Salt  Lake  Mormons,  and  no  long  time  after,  was  him¬ 
self  cut  off  by  death,  and  his  flock  scattered  for  want 
of  a  shepherd. 

Soon  after  the  founding  of  Salt  Lake  City,  a  large 
colony  of  Mormons  was  also  established  in  San  Ber¬ 
nardino  County,  California  ;  but  they  were  too  far  from 
headquarters,  to  be  governed  either  by  Apostles  or  “  Dan- 
ies,”  and  soon  became  entangled  in  the  politics  and  public 
interests  of  the  State.  Orders  were  issued  for  their 
return  to  Utah,  a  few  obeyed,  and  the  remainder  “lost 
the  spirit  and  fell  into  apostasy.”  But  it  is  a  fixed  fact, 
that  ninety-nine  out  of  a  hundred  who  have  believed 
Mormonism  for  ten  years,  are  ever  after  unfit  for  any 
sensible  faith ;  apostates  from  Mormonism  are  generally 
infidels  or  visionaries,  Millenarians,  Adventists  or  Lu¬ 
natics  ;  and  the  San  Bernardino  schismatics,  in  a  body, 
embraced  Spiritualism.  From  the  unseen  world  a  reve¬ 
lation  was  received,  that  a  youth  of  one  of  the  old  Mor¬ 
mon  families  would  in  time  be  called  as  a  prophet,  and 
unite  the  whole  Chuch ;  but  unfortunately  the  young 
man  died  soon  after,  and  San  Bernardino  was  left  with- 


406  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

out  a  prophet.  A  few  returned  to  the  parent  organi¬ 
zation,  and  a  few  to  the  “ Re-organized  Church;”  insanity 
prevails  to  an  amazing  extent  among  the  remainder, 
who  long  contributed  from  twelve  to  twenty  additions, 
per  year,  to  the  insane  asylum  at  Stockton ;  and  it  is 
reported,  that  institution  now  contains  a  hundred  of 
the  sect,  and  would  have  five  hundred  more  if  it  were 
not  full. 

Deducting  all  preliminary  secessions,  nearly  20,000 
followed  the  Twelve  Apostles  from  Nauvoo,  of  whom 
less  than  10,000  ever  reached  Utah.  Throughout 
their  Iowa  pilgrimage  bands  and  parties  fell  away  like 
sparks  from  a  flying  meteor,  and  almost  every  “  stake  ” 
soon  became  a  village  of  recusant  Mormons;  Garden 
Grove,  Mount  Pisgah,  Council  Bluffs,  Florence  and 
Columbus  were  originally  settled  by  these  apostates, 
and  considerable  bodies  gathered  to  Nebraska  City, 
Omaha  and  other  river  towns.  Dr.  Isaac  Gall  and  died 
in  extreme  poverty  in  Iowa,  and  nearly  all  the  old 
Nauvoo  allies  of  Joe  Smith  ended  their  days  in  the 
gutter,  the  penitentiary  or  the  poor  house.  But  thou¬ 
sands  of  those  who  had  honestly  embraced  Mormonism, 
and  abandoned  it  only  when  convinced  of  the  im¬ 
posture,  became  valuable  citizens  among  the  Gentiles. 

In  all  these  branch  organizations  there  was  no 
isolation  from  the  world,  no  repressive  power,  and  no 
one  man  to  seize  the  reins  and  drive  ruthlessly  forward, 
regardless  alike  of  the  sufferings  of  his  people  and  the 
lives  of  his  enemies ;  hence,  inherent  weakness  in¬ 
creased,  and  they  fast  decayed.  But  in  Utah  Brigham 
was  absolute ;  he  had  perfect  isolation,  and  talent 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


407 


without  the  troublesome  adjunct  of  a  conscience,  and 
there  despotism  has  been  a  success.  Nevertheless, 
even  in  Utah  there  have  been  no  less  than  four  distinct 
and  organized  attempts  to  throw  off  the  joke  of  Brig¬ 
ham,  and  “  return  to  a  more  perfect  faith.”  None  of 
these  bodies  have  professed  a  desire  to  break  up  the 
Church,  only  to  purify  it. 

The  first  was  by  the  sect  known  as  “  Gladdenites.” 
It  will  be  remembered  that  Gladden  Bishop  was  con¬ 
demned  at  Nauvoo;  but  he  soon  after  came  barA  to 
the  Church,  and  other  recusants  were  beginning  to 
return,  when,  in  1852,  polygamy  was  avowed,  and  to 
this  and  other  new  features  the  Gladdenites  were 
opposed.  Their  mission  in  Salt  Lake  City  was  headed 
by  one  Albert  Smith,  from  Saint  Louis,  and  seems  to 
have  made  sufficient  progress  to  stir, up  the  Brighamites, 
who  have  left  about  the  only  history  we  have  of  the 
Sect  in  Utah.  The  following  extract  from  a  “  sermon” 
by  Brigham  will  clearly  indicate  how  this  movement 
was  crushed  : 

“  I  will  ask,  What  has  produced  your  persecutions 
and  sorrow  ?  What  has  been  the  starting-point  of  all 
your  afflictions  ?  They  began  with  apostates  in  your 
midst;  those  disaffected  spirits  caused  others  to  come 
in,  worse  than  they,  who  would  run  out  and  bring  in 
all  the  devils  they  possibly  could.  That  has  been  the 
starting-point  and  grand  cause .  of  all  our  difficulties, 
every  time  we  were  driven.  I  am  coming  to  this  place, 
— I  am  coming  nearer  home.  .  .  .  Do  we  see 

apostates  among  us  now?  We  do. 

“  When  a  man  comes  right  out  like  an  independent 


408 


LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 


devil,  and  says,  ( Damn  Mormon  ism  and  all  the  Mor¬ 
mons,’  and  is  off  with  himself  to  California,  I  say  he  is 
a  gentleman  by  the  side  of  a  nasty,  sneaking  apostate, 
who  is  opposed  to  nothing  but  Christianity.  I  say  to 
the  former,  ‘  Go  in  peace,  sir,  and  prosper  if  you  can.’ 
But  wTe  have  a  set  of  spirits  here,  worse  than  such  a 
character.  When  I  went  from  meeting  last  Sabbath, 
my  ears  were  saluted  with  an  apostate,  crying  in  the 
streets  here.  I  want  to  know  if  any  one  of  you  who 
has  got  the  spirit  of  Mormonism  in  you,  the  spirit  that 
Joseph  and  Hyrum  had,  or  that  we  have  here,  would 
say,  ‘  Let  us  hear  both  sides  of  the  question.  Let  us 
listen  and  prove  all  things.’  What  do  you  want  to 
prove  ?  Do  you  want  to  prove  that  an  old  apostate, 
who  has  been  cut  off  from  the  Church  thirteen  times 
for  lying,  is  anything  worthy  of  notice  ?  I  heard  that 
a  certain  picture-maker  in  this  city,  when  the  boys 
would  have  moved  away  the  wagon  in  which  this 
apostate  was  standing,  became  violent  with  them,  say¬ 
ing,  ‘  Let  this  man  alone ;  these  are  Saints  that  you  are 
persecuting.’  [Sneeringly.] 

“We  want  such  men  to  go  to  California,  or  anywhere 
they  choose.  I  say  to  those  persons,  ‘  You  must  not 
court  persecution  here,  lest  you  get  so  much  of  it  you 
will  not  know  what  to  do  with  it.  Do  not  court 
persecution.’  We  have  known  Gladden  Bishop  for 
more  than  twenty  years,  and  know  him  to  be  a  poor, 
dirty  curse.  Here  is  sister  Yilate  Kimball,  brother 
Heber’s  wife,  has  borne  more  from  that  man  than  any 
other  woman  on  earth  could  bear ;  but  she  won’t  bear 
it  again.  I  say  again,  you  Gladdenites,  do  not  court 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


409 


persecution,  or  you  will  get  more  than  you  want,  and 
it  will  come  quicker  than  you  want  it. 

“  I  say  to  you,  Bishops,  do  not  allow  them  to  preach 
in  your  wards.  Who  broke  the  roads  to  these  valleys? 
Did  this  little  nasty  Smith,  and  his  wife  ?  No.  They 
stayed  in  St.  Louis  while  we  did  it,  peddling  ribbons, 
and  kissing  the  Gentiles.  I  know  what  they  have 
done  here — they  have  asked  exorbitant  prices  for  their 
nasty,  stinking  ribbons.  [Voices,  ‘That’s  true.’]  We 
broke  the  roads  to  this  country. 

“  Now,  you  Gladdenites,  keep  your  tongues  still,  lest 
sudden  destruction  come  upon  you.  I  say,  rather  than 
that  apostates  should  flourish  here,  I  will  unsheathe 
my  bowie-knife,  and  conquer  or  die.  [Great  commo¬ 
tion  in  the  congregation,  and  a  simultaneous  burst  of 
feeling,  assenting  to  the  declaration.]  Now,  you  nasty 
apostates,  clear  out,  or  ‘judgment  will  be  laid  to  the 
line,  and  righteousness  to  the  plummet.’  [Voices 
generally,  ‘  Go  it,  go  it.’]  If  you  say  it  is  all  right, 
raise  your  hands.  [All  hands  up.]  Let  us  call  upon 
the  Lord  to  assist  us  in  this  and  every  other  good 
work.”  * 

It  must  be  remembered  that  all  these  sermons  are 
quoted  exactly  as  reported  by  the  Mormons  themselves 
and  printed  in  the  Church  paper,  that  Brigham  carefully 
revises  them  before  they  are  printed ;  and  that  they  are 
frequently  so  pared  down  and  modified,  with  most  of 
the  oaths  and  obscenity  struck  out,  that  it  is  difficult 
for  the  hearer  to  recognize  the  published  form.  In  an¬ 
other  part  of  the  above  harangue,  Brigham  warns  the 


*  March  27,  1S53.  *  Jour,  of  Dis .,  vol.  i,  p.  82. 


410  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

Gladdenites  that  they  “were  not  playing  with  shadows, 
but  were  trying  to  fool  with  the  voice  and  hand  of  the 
Almighty,  and  would  find  themselves  badly  mistaken.” 
The  effect  of  such  preaching  was  horrible,  and  that 
some  of  the  Gladdenites  were  murdered  outright  is 
beyond  a  doubt.  But  the  Church  authorities  seem  to 
have  been  fearful  that  a  spirit  of  rebellion  might  still 
lurk  in  the  minds  of  the  people,  and  determined  to 
stamp  out  the  last  traces  of  apostasy.  To  this  end,  the 
doctrine  of  “  blood-atonement  ”  was  introduced  and 
preached  regularly  for  many  years.  This  doctrine  was 
urged  particularly  with  a  wild  and  savage  earnestness 
by  Jedediah  M.  Grant,  who,  it  is  but  charity  to  suppose, 
was  insane  on  the  subject ;  a  blood-crazy  wretch,  legit¬ 
imately  succeeded  by  Daniel  H.  Wells.  Like  the  latter 
he  was  First  Counselor  to  Brigham,  Mayor  of  the 
city  and  Chief  of  the  secret  police ;  and  like  him,  too, 
he  regarded  murder  as  a  holy  act,  if  done  in  accordance 
with  the  rites  of  the  Church ;  and  there  is  testimony 
that  some  of  these  unfortunate  apostates  were  actually 
sacrificed  in  the  Endowment  House,  “to  atone  for  their 
sins  and  save  their  souls.”  Young  Mormons,  who  were 
children  then,  have  often  told  me  of  hearing  this  J.  M. 
Grant  preach  his  favorite  doctrine  of  blood-atonement, 
with  furious  mien  and  gestures,  and  actually  foaming  at 
the  mouth  in  the  intensity  of  fanatic  rage.  If  any 
should  doubt  the  possibility  of  men  going  to  such 
lengths  in  a  bloody  doctrine,  let  them  peruse  this  ex¬ 
tract  from  one  of  Grant’s  sermons,  delivered  March  12th, 
1854,  as  recorded  in  the  Mormon  publication,  the  Deseret 
News ;  and  remember,  too,  thftt  it  is  only  the  mildest 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


411 


possible  language  which  is  published,  compared  with 
that  actually  used. 

“  Then  what  ought  this  meek  people  who  keep  the 
commandments  of  God  do  unto  them  ?  4  Why/  says  one, 
‘  they  ought  to  pray  to  the  Lord  to  hill  them!  I  want 
to  know  if  you  would  wish  the  Lord  to  come  dovm  and 
do  all  your  dirty  work  ?  Many  of  the  Latter-day  Saints 
will  pray,  and  petition,  and  supplicate  the  Lord  to  do  a 
thousand  things  they  themselves  would  be  ashamed 
to  do. 

*2*  «?* 

“  When  a  man  prays  for  a  thing ,  he  ought  to  he  will¬ 
ing  to  perform  it  himself  But  if  the  Latter-day  Saints 
should  put  to  death  the  covenant-breakers,  it  would  try 
the  faith  of  the  very  meek,  just,  and  pious  ones  among 
them,  and  it  would  cause  a  great  deal  of  whining  in 
Israel. 

u  Then  there  was  another  odd  commandment.  The 
Lord  God  commanded  them  not  to  pity  the  person  whom 
they  hilled ,  but  to  execute  the  law  of  God  upon  persons 
worthy  of  death.  This  should  he  done  hy  the  entire  con¬ 
gregation ,  showing  no  pity.  I  have  thought  there 
would  have  to  be  quite  a  revolution  among  the  Mor¬ 
mons  before  such  a  commandment  could  be  obeyed 
completely  by  them.  For  instance,  if  they  can  get  a 
man  before  the  tribunal  administering  the  law  of  the 
land,  and  succeed  in  getting  a  rope  around  his  neck, 
and  having  him  hung  up  like  a  dead  dog,  it  is  all  right. 
But  if  the  Church  and  Kingdom  of  Cod  should  step 
forth  and  execute  the  law  of  God ,  0,  what  a  burst  of 
Mormon  sympathy  it  would  cause  !  I  wish  we  were  in  a 


412  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

situation  favorable  to  our  doing  that  which  is  justifiable 
before  God ,  without  any  contaminating  influence  of  Gen¬ 
tile  amalgamation ,  laws,  and  traditions ;  that  the  People 
of  God  might  lay  the  ax  to  the  root  of  the  tree ,  and  every 
tree  that  bringeth  not  forth  good  fruit  might  be  hewn 
down. 

“  What !  do  you  believe  that  people  would  do  right 
and  keep  the  law  of  God  by  actually  putting  to  death 
the  transgressors  ?  Putting  to  death  the  transgressors 
would,  exhibit  the  law  of  God ,  no  matter  BY  whom  it  was 
done.  That  is  my  opinion. 

“  You  talk  of  the  doings  of  different  Governments — 
the  United  States,  if  you  please.  What  do  they  do 
with  traitors  ?  What  mode  do  they  adopt  to  punish 
traitors  ?  Do  traitors  to  that  Government  forfeit  their 
lives  ?  Examine  also  the  doings  of  other  earthly  Gov¬ 
ernments  on  this  point,  and  you  find  the  same  practice 
universal.  I  am  not  aware  that  there  are  any  excep¬ 
tions.  But  people  will  look  into  books  of  theology,  and 
argue  that  the  people  of  God  have  a  right  to  try  people 
for  fellowship,  but  they  have  no  right  to  try  them  on 
property  or  life.  That  makes  the  devil  laugh ,  saying: 
I  have  got  them  on  a  hook  now ;  they  can  cut  them 
off,  and  I  will  put  eight  or  ten  spirits  worse  than  they 
are  into  their  tabernacles,  and  send  them  back  to  mob 
them.” 

Brigham  .follows  up  this  reasoning  with  a  plain 
declaration  that  none  can  expect  finally  to  escape ,  and 
sooner  or  later  the  vengeance  of  the  Church  will  over¬ 
take  them.  But  he  uses  a  different  phraseology,  as 
follows : 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


413 


“  There  is  not  a  man  or  woman  who  violates  the 
covenants  made  with  their  God,  that  will  not  be  re¬ 
quired  to  pay  the  debt.  The  blood  of  Christ  will  never 
wipe  that  out,  your  own  blood  must  atone  for  it ;  and 
the  judgments  of  the  Almighty  will  come  sooner  or 
later,  and  every  man  and  woman  will  have  to  atone  for 
breaking  their  covenants.” 

With  these  plain  directions  to  an  ignorant  and  fanat¬ 
ical  people,  from  those  they  looked  upon  as  the  incar¬ 
nate  voice  of  God,  the  fate  of  the  Gladdenites  is  easily 
foreseen.  Those  who  could,  escaped  to  California;  the 
others  recanted  or  “  atoned,”  and  we  hear  no  more  of 
them  after  1854. 

Second  in  order  of  time  was  the  Sect  known  as 
“  Morrisites,”  whose  history  is  substantially  as  follows  : 

Joseph  Morris  was  a  native  of  Manchester,  England, 
and  came  to  Utah  among  the  early  converts.  Like 
thousands  of  others,  he  thought  that  the  pure  truth 
delivered  by  Joseph  Smith  had  been  corrupted,  and 
conceived  the  design  of  effecting  a  grand  reformation 
in  the  Church.  According  to  his  own  account,  while 
engaged  in  reflection  on  the  subject,  he  was  one  day  in 
the  pastures  beyond  Jordan,  when  he  was  favored  with 
a  glorious  vision,  and  by  command  of  Christ,  Enos,  (son 
of  Seth,)  John  the  Baptist,  and  the  archangel  Michael, 
who  constitute  the  triune  mission  of  Mormonism,  ap¬ 
peared  and  endowed  him  with  the  holy  priesthood,  as 
the  true  successor  of  Joseph  Smith. 

On  announcing  his  mission,  he  was  at  once  an  object 
of  interest  to  all  persons  at  South  Weber,  his  res¬ 
idence,  some  thirty  miles  north  of  this  city,  and  in  a 


414  LIFE  IN  UTAH  ;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

short  time  had  converted  to  his  views  Bishop  Cook,  of 
Weber  settlement,  his  brother,  John  Cook,  and  several 
others. 

Persecution  by  his  neighbors  soon  followed,  and  his 
life  was  frequently  threatened ;  but  little  attention  was 
paid  to  the  matter  by  the  regular  authorities,  as  Morris 
was  an  exceedingly  simple  and  illiterate  man,  who  was 
thought  incapable  of  giving  the  slightest  trouble. 
Meanwhile,  he  continued  to  receive  voluminous  revelar 
tions,  and,  under  the  supposed  influence  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  composed  two  letters  directed  to  Brigham  Young 
and  Heber  C.  Kimball,  which  he  took  to  the  city  and 
delivered  in  person.  Brigham  treated  the  matter  lightly 
at  first,  but  it  soon  grew  so  serious  that  John  Taylor 
and  Wilford  Woodruff,  both  apostles,  were  sent  to  Weber 
to  investigate  the  matter.  They  called  a  Church  meef> 
ing,  in  executive  session,  on  the  11th  of  February,  1861, 
when  Taylor  rose  and  demanded  whether  there  was  a 
man  in  that  ward  who  claimed  to  be  a  prophet,  and  if 
so,  whether  he  had  any  followers  ?  To  the  consterna¬ 
tion  of  the  Brighamites  seventeen  persons,  with  Bishop 
Cook  at  their  head,  arose  and  avowed  their  belief  that 
“  Joseph  Morris  was  sent  of  God,  and  was  the  true 
priestly  successor  of  Joseph  Smith.”  It  is  to  be  noted 
that  the  Morrisites  never  denied  the  right  of  Brigham 
to  be  First  President,  by  election,  and  temporal  head  of 
the  Church  ;  but  they  claimed  that  he  was  “  neither  a 
prophet,  nor  the  son  of  a  prophet.” 

A  violent  discussion  followed,  in  which  an  old  man 
named  Watts  said  that  the  Morrisites  a  ought  to  be  cut 
off  under  the  chin  and  laid  away  in  the  brush,”  for 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


415 


which  he  was  sternly  rebuked  by  Bishop  Cook.  After 
the  customary  “  admonition,”  by  Taylor  and  Woodruff, 
all  the  adherents  of  Morris  were  formally  excommuni¬ 
cated,  and  “  delivered  over  to  the  buffetings  of  Satan 
for  a  thousand  years.”  Morris  established  his  church 
by  baptizing  five  persons  in  the  Weber  River,  on  the  6th 
of  April,  1861,  exactly  thirty-one  years  from  the  first 
baptism  by  Joseph  Smith.  Converts  flocked  rapidly 
from  all  parts  of  the  Territory,  and  the  new  sect  soon 
numbered  three  hundred.  It  never  exceeded  five  hun¬ 
dred.  Morris  employed  two  scribes  to  take  down  his 
revealed  gospel,  and  his  followers  now  have  six  volumes 
of  them,  each  containing  two  or  three  hundred  manu¬ 
script  pages. 

The  spring  review  of  1862,  of  the  Nauvoo  Legion, 
the  Territorial  militia,  came  on,  and  the  Morrisites  re¬ 
fused  to  drill,  for  which  several  of  them  were  arrested 
and  fined  $60  and  $80  each.  Other  troubles  arose  be¬ 
tween  them  and  the  surrounding  Mormons,  about  which 
there  is  great  conflict  of  testimony.  I  have  the  story 
from  those  of  the  Morrisites  now  at  Camp  Douglas, 
from  various  Brighamites,  and  from  official  papers  and 
testimony  left  by  Judges  Waite,  Drake,  and  Titus. 
The  Sect  occupied  a  portion  of  the  Weber  Valley,  with 
their  town  made  in  a  sort  of  encampment  in  a  circular 
hollow,  below  which  was  their  cultivated  land.  They 
had  all  things  in  common,  and  every  new  convert  divided 
his  surplus  property  among  the  needy,  while  their 
common  cow-herd  was  attended  by  a  detailed  herder 
among  the  mountain  hollows.  Intelligent  Mormons, 
then  resident  on  the  Weber,  tell  me  they  took  a  large 


416  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

number  of  cattle  from  their  neighbors,  and  committed 
other  depredations ;  which  the  Morrisites  deny,  saying 
that  they  only  retaliated  where  they  had  been  robbed 
At  length  one  Jones  seized  a  load  of  flour  belonging  to 
the  Morrisites  at  a  mill  near  Salt  Lake,  and  detained  it 
and  the  two  boys  in  charge,  as  he  alleged,  in  satisfaction 
for  injuries  done  him. 

/The  Morrisites  sent  out  a  strong  posse,  retook  the 
load,  and  brought  Jones  and  two  confederates,  as  pris¬ 
oners  to  their  camp.  Meanwhile,  the  Sheriff  had  ap¬ 
peared,  and  purposed  to  arrest  all  those  who  could  not, 
or  would  not  pay  the  fines  assessed  for  refusal  to  drill, 
but  he  was  refused  admission  to  the  settlement.  Com¬ 
plaint  was  at  once  made  to  Chief  J ustice  Kinney,  who 
issued  writs  for  the  arrest  of  the  leading  Morrisites,  and 
Robert  T.  Burton,  Sheriff  of  Salt  Lake  County,  at  tempted 
to  serve  them,  but  returned  to  the  city  unsuccessful. 
The  Nauvoo  Legion  wTas  at  once  ordered  out,  with 
several  cannon,  and  placed  under  Burton’s  command. 
On  their  way  they  were  joined  by  reinforcements  from 
Ogden,  Kaysville,  and  Farmington,  till  early  on  the 
morning  of  June  13,  1862,  they  arrived  before  the 
Morrisite  Camp,  with  a  thousand  well  armed  men,  and 
five  pieces  of  artillery.  They  captured  the  Morrisites’ 
cow-herd,  killing  such  as  they  desired  for  beef,  and  sent 
the  boys  attending  it  into  the  camp,  with  Burton’s  procla¬ 
mation,  calling  for  surrender.  The  camp,  or  fort,  consisted 
of  a  few  houses  made  of  willows,  woven  together  and 
plastered,  and  covered  wagons,  surrounded  by  some 
rude  fortifications.  Morris  called  his  men  together, 
when  they  received  another  note  to  remove  the  women 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


417 


and  children,  as  firing  would  begin  in  one  hour.  In 
about  twenty  minutes  a  cannon  was  fired,  of  which  the 
ball  entered  the  fort,  killing  two  women,  and  carrying 
away  the  jaw  of  another. 

Meanwhile,  Morris  had  donned  his  priestly  robe,  and 
taken  his  divining  rod,  and  was  waiting  for  a  revelation 
as  to  what  course  should  be  taken.  After  an  hour  or 
two  of  fanatic  supplication,  no  revelation  was  received  ; 
and  as  the  Brighamites  had  begun  to  surround  the 
camp,  the  Prophet  divided  his  forces,  placed  a  band  at 
each  of  the  weak  points,  and  assumed  the  responsibility 
of  fighting.  His  .camp  was  upon  a  knoll  in  the  hollow 
of  the  Weber,  a  mile  or  so  below  the  present  railroad 
station  of  Uintah,  while  the  Brighamite  posse  occupied 
the  adjacent  slopes.  The  latter  soon  opened  a ‘general 
fire  upon  the  camp,  when  the  Morrisites  at  once  flew 
to  arms  and  the  battle  began.  The  cannon  and  long- 
range  rifles  of  the  Brighamites  completely  raked  the 
fort,  to  which  the  Morrisites  could  only  reply  with 
their  ducking-guns  and  a  few  Spanish  scopeetes,  which, 
inflicted  only  slight  wounds.  The  cannon,  too,  were 
often  loaded  with  small  balls,  which  tore  down  the 
wicker-work  and  pierced  the  sandy  hillocks,  wounding 
the  women  and  children  who  had  taken  refuge  behind, 
them.  Still  these  deluded  people  would  not  surrender, 
and  for  three  days,  fighting  with  the  desperate  energy 
of  religious  fanaticism,  maintained  the  unequal  battle.. 
At  intervals,  during  that  time,  they  often  called  on 
Morris  to  intercede  with  the  Lord  for  their  deliverance,,  • 
to  which  he  made  reply :  “  If  the  Lord  will,  we  shall 
be  delivered  and  our  enemies  destroyed ;  but  le\  us  do* 


418  LIFE  IN  UTAH  ;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

our  duty.”  On  the  evening  of  the  third  day,  some  one 
raised  a  white  flag ;  when  Morris  saw  it,  he  said : 
“  Your  faith  has  gone  and  the  Lord  has  forsaken  us. 
I  can  now  do  nothing  more.” 

They  threw  down  their  arms  and  the  Legion  marched 
in.  Amid  the  wildest  confusion  the  men  and  women 
were  separated,  and  the  former  placed  under  guard.  Few 
of  the  women  could  speak  English,  and  all  expected 
nothing  but  destruction.  Burton  shot  Morris,  his 

C-j  7 

Lieutenant,  Banks,  and  two  women,  after  the  arms 
were  given  up,  while  the  soldiers  plundered  the  houses, 
took  all  the  watches,  jewelry  and  money,  and  destroyed 
all  they  could  not  carry  away.  Here,  too,  there  is  great 
conflict  of  testimony.  Some  of  the  boys  who  were  with 
the  Brighamite  forces  say  that  Morris  ordered  his  men 
to  take  their  arms  and  fight  again,  for  which  he  was 
shot.  Still  others  say  that  Banks  was  only  slightly 
wounded,  and  called  for  water,  when  a  cup  was  handed 
him  by  the  Brighamite  surgeon.  Dr.  Jeter  Clinton;  that 
he  drank  of  it  and  expired  in  a  few  minutes.  The 
Morrisites  are  confident  he  would  have  recovered,  if  he 
had  not  been  poisoned.  The  following  affidavit  will 
give  most  clearly  the  Morrisite  version  of  the  affair: 

“  United  States  of  America ,  Territory  of  Utah ,  ss. 

“  Alexander  Dow,  of  said  Territory,  being  duly 
sworn,  says : 

“  In  the  spring  of  1861,  I  joined  the  Morrisites,  and 
was  present  when  Joseph  Morris  wras  killed.  The 
Morrisites  had  surrendered,  a  white  flag  was  flying,  and 
the  arms  were  all  grounded  and  guarded  by  a  large 
in  umber  of  the  posse. 


i  ' 

*  ii  .  .. 


.  I  •  '  ’ 

0 

1.  . 
;  •• 


. 


■ 

V 


MASSACRE  OF  THE  MORRISITES 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


419 


“  Robert  T.  Burton  and  Judson  L.  Stoddard  rode  in 
among  the  Morrisites.  Burton  was  much  excited,  and 
said  :  ‘  Where  is  the  man  ?  I  don’t  know  him.’  Stod¬ 
dard  replied,  ‘  That’s  him,’  pointing  to  Morris.  Burton 
rode  his  horse  upon  Morris,  and  commanded  him  to 
give  himself  'up  in  the  name  of  the  Lord.  Morris  re¬ 
plied  :  “No;  never,  never.’  Morris  said  he  wanted  to 
speak  to  the  people.  Burton  said,  ‘  Be  d — d  quick 
about  it.’  Morris  said,  ‘  Brethren,  I  have  taught  you 
true  principles’ — he  had  scarcely  got  the  words  out  of 
his  mouth,  when  Burton  fired  his  revolver.  The  ball 
passed  in  his  neck  or  shoulder.  Burton  exclaimed, 

‘  There’s  your  Prophet.’  He  fired  again,  saying,  ‘  What 
do  you  think  of  your  Prophet  now  ?  ’ 

“Burton  then  turned  suddenly  and  shot  Banks,  who 
was  standing  five  or  six  paces  distant.  Banks  fell. 
Mrs.  Bowman,  wife  of  James  Bowman,  came  running 
up,  crying,  ‘  Oh  !  you  blood-thirsty  wretch  !  ’  Burton 
said,  ‘  No  one  shall  tell  me  that  and  live,’  and  shot  her 
dead.  A  Danish  woman  then  came  running  up  to 
Morris,  crying,  and  Burton  shot  her  dead  also.  Burton 
could  have  easily  taken  Morris  and  Banks  prisoners,  if 
he  had  tried.  I  was  standing  but  a  few  feet  from  Bur¬ 
ton  all  the  time.  And  further  saith  not. 

“Alexander  Dow.” 

“Subscribed  and  sworn  to  before  me,  this  18th  day 
of  April,  A.  D.,  1863. 

“Charles  B.  Waite. 

“  Associate  Justice ,  Utah  Territory .” 

All  the  loose  property  of  the  Morrisites  having  been 
“confiscated,”  the  dead  bodies  of  Morris,  Banks  and 


420  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

eight  others  were  thrown  into  a  wagon,  with  Morris’  robe, 
crown  and  rod,  and  succeeded  by  the  captured  Morris- 
ites,  they  were  guarded  to  the  city.  Young  and  old 
turned  out  to  see  them,  with  mingled  emotions  of  glee 
and  horror,  and  the  bodies  of  Morris  and  Banks,  lying 
for  several  days  in  the  City  Hall,  were  visited  by  great 
crowds,  eager  to  see  the  noted  “  schismatic.”  The  vast 
majority  of  these  people  regarded  it  simply  as  the  pro¬ 
per  punishment  due  to  one  who  had  “  set  himself  up  to 
teach  heresy  in  Zion  and  oppose  the  Lord’s  anointed.” 
During  the  entire  battle  two  Brighamites  and  ten  Mor- 
risites  were  killed,  and  a  very  large  number  wounded. 

Ninety-three  of  the  Morrisites  were  at  once  arraigned 
before  Judge  Kinney,  but  there  was  so  much  popular 
excitement,  and  as  it  was  probable  more  would  die  of 
their  wounds,  he  proceeded  to  place  them  all  under 
bonds  of  $1,500  each,  for  their  appearance  in  April, 
1863.  Only  five  of  them  would  sign  the  bond;  few  of 
the  rest  could  speak  English,  and  those  who  could  pro¬ 
tested  against  the  entire  proceedings,  and  announced 
their  determination  “to  lie  in  jail  till  the  Devil’s  thou¬ 
sand  years  were  out,”  before  they  would  even  by  impli¬ 
cation  confess  that  they  were  treated  legally. 

But  as  the  five  signers  still  owned  considerable  prop¬ 
erty,  Judge  Kinney  ruled  that,  as  in  a  sort  of  commu¬ 
nity,  they  could  bind  all  the  rest,  as  their  representatives. 
When  the  April  term  (1863)  came  on,  twenty  of  them 
were  out  of  the  territory,  and  one  was  dead,  but  most 
of  the  rest  appeared.  Kinney  said  that  “  their  absence 
made  no  difference ;  he  was  glad  to  see  that  so  many 
had  appeared ;”  and  proceeded  to  enter  a  fine  of  one 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


421 


hundred  dollars  each  against  the  present,  dead  and 
absent.  In  addition,  several  leaders  were  put  on  trial, 
and  sentenced  to  the  penitentiary  for  from  five  to  fifteen 
years  each. 

In  June,  1862,  Kinney  was  the  only  United  States 
Judge  in  Utah,  and  the  compliant  tool  of  -the  Brigham- 
ites.  But  Governor  Harding  and  Judges  Waite  and 
Drake  had  arrived  in  time  to  hear  the  trial  of  the  Mor- 
risites,  and  were  convinced  that  great  injustice  had 
been  done  them,  or  even  if  they  were  guilty  of  resist¬ 
ance  to  legal  process,  the  law  had  been  strained  to  in¬ 
flict  a  cruel  and  unusual  punishment.  It  was  known, 
too,  as  it  is  now,  that  sentence  to  a  long  imprisonment 
in  Utah  simply  means  death,  if  the  keepers  in  charge 
are  so  instructed.  Petitions  began  to  circulate  for  their 
pardon,  signed  by  Gentiles  and  some  of  the  Mormons 
who  relented  at  such  severity.  Quite  an  excitement 
was  created  by  these  attempts,  and  Governor  Harding 
was  warned  by  the  more  violent  Brighamites  not  to 
interfere  with  the  sentence  of  law.  Bishop  Woolley 
called  upon  the  Governor  with  an  earnest  remonstrance 
against  the  proposed  pardon,  adding  in  conclusion, 
“  Governor,  it  stands  you  in  hand  to  be  careful.  Our 
people  are  much  excited ;  they  feel  it  would  be  an  out¬ 
rage  to  pardon  these  men,  and  if  it  is  done  they  might 
proceed  to  violence ,”  etc.,  etc. 

To  this  truly  Mormon  attempt  at  intimidation  the 
Governor  responded  with  his  usual  firmness.  While 
the  petition,  with  names  attached,  was  still  in  his  pos¬ 
session,  not  acted  upon,  the  Governor  was  aroused  from 
sleep  one  night,  between  mid-night  and  morning,  by  a 


422  LIFE  IN  UTAH  ;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

furious  knocking  at  the  door;  it  was  opened  by  his 
son,  Attila,  who  acted  as  his  private  secretary,  and 
there  presented  himself  a  stranger  of  rough  aspect,  who 
demanded  peremptorily  to  “  see  the  Gov’n’r.”  No  repre¬ 
sentations  of  the  unseasonableness  of  the  hour  appeared 
to  move  him ;  he  insisted  that  his  business  was  too  im¬ 
portant  for  delay ;  he  had  ridden  thirty  miles  over  bad 
roads,  could  not  arrive  sooner  and  must  return  at  once. 
With  precautions  against  surprise  they  admitted  him  to  the 
Governor’s  room,  and  he  at  once  began  :  “  I  understand 
that  you  have  a  petition  for  the  pardon  of  some  of  the 
Morrisites — that  you  won’t  act  on  it  because  you  don’t 
think  there  are  enough  o’  Mormon  names  on  it — or  Mor¬ 
mons  that  are  well  known.  An’  you  say  some  Mormons 
want  to  sign  it,  want  ’em  pardoned,  but  are  afeard  to  sign. 
Gi’  me  that  paper  an’  I’ll  show  you  one  Mormon  that’s 
not  afeard  to  sign — an’  one  that’s  purty  well  known,  too. 
An’  I’ve  rid  thirty  miles  this  night  on  purpose  to  sign  it.” 
The  petition  was  procured  and  handed  him,  and  after  a 
rapid  survey  of  the  names,  he  seized  the  pen  and  in 
broad,  sprawling  Roman  capitals,  extending  entirely 
across  the  sheet,  inscribed  the  well  known  name, 

BILL  HICKMAN. 

It  was  indeed  the  redoubtable  “Danite”  captain. 
“  There,”  said  he,  holding  it  off  at  arm’s  length,  “  there 
is  a  Mormon  name  they  all  know,  an’  they  can  read  it 
without  specks.  Talk  o’  bein’  afeard  o’  Brigham 
Young !  I  tell  you  Brigham  Young  is  a  good  deal  more 
afeard  o’  Bill  Hickman  than  Bill  Hickman  is  o’  Brig¬ 
ham  Young.”  Thus  speaking  he  departed  as  uncere¬ 
moniously  as  he  came,  nor  did  any  further  explanation 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


423 


of  this  singular  affair  ever  reach  the  Governor.  After 
a  short  imprisonment,  the  Morrisites  were  pardoned ;  no 
violence  was  attempted  or  threatened  against  Governor 
Harding,  but  another  singular  occurrence  took  place 
soon  after. 

One  beautiful  evening,  while  the  bright  sun  of  Utah 
was  sinking  behind  the  Lake  island  hills,  into  a  “  sea 
of  glass,  mingled  with  fire,”  tipping  with  a  golden  glory 
the  gray  peaks  of  the  Wasatch,  two  women  might  have 
been  seen  descending  the  hill  from  the  Morrisite  settle- ' 
ment  near  Camp  Douglas,  and  seeking  the  residence  of 
the  Governor.  The  elder  was  a  brawny  and  sunburned 
Danish  woman,  of  most  coarse  and  common  clay,  who 
assisted  the  others  steps  till  they  stood  before  the  Gov¬ 
ernor.  The  younger  woman  was  of  a  frail  and  delicate 
aspect  that  indicated  either  long  sickness  and  privation, 
or  a  nervous  organization  worn  to  exhaustion  by  excite¬ 
ment  ;  her  dark,  sunken  eyes  glowed  with  a  strange,  un¬ 
earthly  fire,  and  the  blue  veins  of  her  forehead  stood 
out  from  a  skin  of  marble  whiteness,  while  her  long 
delicate  fingers  clasped  and  intertwined  with  intense 
earnestness  as  she  told  her  mission.  It  was  the  widow 
of  Banks,  the  murdered  Morrisite.  She  had,  according 
to  her  faith,  been  in  communion  with  the  soul  of  her 
husband,  and  thence  received  knowledge  of  a  plot 
against  the  Governor,  not  to  take  his  life  but  to  place 
him  in  the  same  category  with  Step  toe  and  Dawson. 
She  related  all  the  particulars  of  the  purposed  attempt, 
with  that  convulsive  trembling,  that  dilation  and  up¬ 
ward  roll  of  the  eye  and  that  unearthly  hollow  tone  so 
familiar  to  those  who  have  investigated  the  phenomena 


424  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

of  mesmerism  and  psychology,  in  their  purely  physical 
effects  upon  the  nervous  female.  “  Oh,  Governor,  Gov¬ 
ernor,”  she  exclaimed,  her  thin,  spirituelle  form  quiver¬ 
ing  with  intense  feeling,  “  friend  and  saviour  of  our  peo¬ 
ple  !  Beware,  beware.  The  spirit  of  the  Lord  and  his 
martyred  prophet  is  upon  me,  to  warn  you  of  this  dan¬ 
ger.  It  will  come  to  you  in  the  form  of  a  beautiful 
woman ;  but  be  guarded,  and  if,  within  a  fortnight  you 
are  introduced  to  a  fair  woman  who  presents  a  great 
temptation  to  you,  think  of  this  warning  and  •  do  not 
yield.”  The  Governor,  being  gallant  as  well  as  brave, 
was  taken  somewhat  aback  by  the  fact  that  the  seer 
had  so  well  anticipated  the  temptation  best  calculated 
to  overcome  him ;  but  the  rest  of  the  story  is  best  re¬ 
lated  in  his  own  words : 

$ 

“  Well,  I  wondered  how  the  woman  got  her  informa¬ 
tion,  but,  as  the  boys  say,  I  c  want  afeard,’  I  rather 
liked  the  idea.  A  few  days  after  the  ‘temptation’  came. 
I  was  called  from  my  room  to  receive  some  company  in 
the  parlor,  and  was  there  introduced  to  two  ladies  whose 
beauty  exceeded  anything  I  had  seen  in  Salt  Lake. 
They  remained  to  tea  with  my  landlady,  after  which 
we  had  a  delightful  evening.  The  youngest  and  most 
beautiful,  (I  withhold  the  name  given  by  the  Governor,) 
made  herself  particularly  agreeable  to  me,  and  was  my 
partner  in  several  games  at  cards.  When  the  time  for 
starting  came,  it  was  pretty. plainly  intimated  by  my 
landlady  that  I  was  to  see  the  lady  home. 

“But  this  was  not  my  programme.  As  she  stood 
pulling  at  her  gloves,  evidently  waiting  for  me  to  ‘make 
a  break,’  I  stepped  forward,  shook  hands  with  her  and 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


425 


merely  said,  ‘  Ladies,  I  should  be  pleased  to  act  the 
complimentary,  but  I  understand  it  is  not  the  custom 
among  your  people  for  Gentiles  to  escort  the  women  of 
the  Saints.  So  I  bid.  you  good  evening/  I  then 
retired  to  my  room.  I  afterwards  learned  beyond 
doubt  that  this  was  the  beginning  of  a  scheme  which, 
if  carried  out,  would  have  seriously  compromised  me.” 
Whether  the  Governor’s  virtue  or  his  astuteness  en am¬ 
bled  him  to  escape  the  evil,  the  writer  will  not  pretend 
to  say;  but  it  is  rather  curious  how  the  Morrisite 
woman  received  her  first  impressions  of  such  a  plot, 
for  we  cannot  doubt  that  it  was  a  previous  mental 
impression  acting  upon  her  peculiar  temperament  which 
led  to  her  dream  or  “  vision,”  whichever  it  was. 

Meanwhile,  the  bonds  of  the  absent  Morrisites  were 
declared  forfeited  by  Judge  Kinney,  and  execution 
issued  against  the  property  of  those  still  in  Utah,  who 
had  any,  to  collect  the  penalty.  Abraham  Taylor,  a 
prominent  Morrisite,  had  his  property  in  the  city, 
worth  $3000,  levied  upon  and  announced  for  sale.  He 
applied  to  Judge  Waite,  who  found,  on  examination, 
that  the  records  of  the  court  showed  no  judgment 
against  the  delinquents,  which  fact  he  represented  to 
Judge  Kinney,  and  applied  for  an  injunction  against 
the  officer.  The  application  was  refused  by  Judge 
Kinney,  who  stated  that,  “  if  there  was  no  judgment, 
he  could  render  one,  as  the  Court  had  not  permanently 
adjourned ,  but  only  to  meet  again  on  his  own  motion .” 
Taylor’s  homestead  was  put  up  at  once  and  sold  to  one 
Joseph  A.  Johnson,  Clerk  of  Judge  Kinney’s  Court, 
for  $200,  and  the  family  literally  forced  into  the  street. 


MORMON  WOMEN  AND  CHILDREN  TAKING  REFUGE  AT  A  U.  S.  CAMP. 


426 


LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


427 

They  remained  a  few  days  in  the  street  in  front  of  the 
house,  then  took  refuge  at  Camp  Douglas. 

After  General  Connor  arrived  with  two  regiments  of 
California  volunteers,  and  established  Camp  Douglas, 
the  Morrisites  gathered  there;  and  in  May,  1863,  the 
General  sent  eighty  families  of  them,  including  over 
200  persons,  to  Soda  Springs,  Idaho,  where  they  now 
have  a  flourishing  settlement.  Abraham  Taylor,  one 
of  their  leaders,  remained  at  Camp  Douglas,  and  in 
1866,  by  Major  Chas.  H.  Hempstead,  his  attorney,  filed 
a  bill  in  the  United  States  District  Court,  Judge  Titus 
presiding,  praying  for  restitution  of  his  property ;  and, 
after  two  years  of  delay  and  chicanery  by  the  Mormon 
lawyers,  and  some  of  the  hardest  swearing  that  ever 
“  reeked  to  heaven,”  at  the  October  term,  1868,  a  decree 
was  made  in  his  favor  by  Judge  Wilson,  giving  him 
possession  of  his  old  homestead,  with .  rents  for  five 
years.  The  popular  Mormon  idea  of  justice  may  be 
seen  from  the  fact  that  three-fourths  of  the  people 
looked  upon  this  decree  as  a  gross  outrage  on  a  Utah 
citizen  by  a  United  States  Judge,  and  a  severe  act  of 
“  persecution.” 

Taken  all  in  all,  the  Morrisites  deserved  a  better 
fate.  True,  their  religion  was  a  wild  compound  of 
materialism,  spiritism,  diabolism  and  deism  run  mad, 
but  their  code  was  far  better  than  that  of  the  Brig- 
hamites. 

Another  prophet  named  Davis  arose  among  them  in 
Idaho,  but  before  his  Church  was  well  established  he 
had  a  revelation  that  all  the  rest  were  to  deed  their 


428  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

property  to  him  as  trustee,  and  practice  communism, 
which  soon  weakened  his  prophetic  hold.  Not  long 
after,  they  got  some  sort  of  revelation  that  a  little  child 
among  them  was  to  be  their  future  Christ,  and  kept 
the  child  “  set  apart”  and  .dressed  in  white  for  some 
time ;  but  lately  their  organization  has  broken  up,  and 
many  of  them  removed  to  Nevada. 

The  most  successful  of  all  the  recusant  and  anti- 
polygamous  sects,  is  that  under  the  leadership  of  young 
Joseph  Smith,  self-styled  the  “  Re-organized  Church  of 
Latter-Day  Saints,”  but  generally  known  as  “  Joseph- 
ites.”  It  will  be  remembered  that  Joseph  Smith,  the 
Prophet,  obtained  gratis  from  Dr.  Galland,  most  of  the 
land  upon  which  Nauvoo  was  built.  After  the  reve¬ 
lation  for  his  people  to  gather  there,  he  sold  them  the 
lots  at  high  prices,  and  realized  an  immense  fortune,  re¬ 
ported  as  high  as  one  million  dollars  by  the  best  in¬ 
formed.  With  this  he  paid  all  his  old  debts  in  Ohio, 
lived  in  considerable  style,  supported  a  dozen  women, 
and  still  left  a  considerable  fortune,  mostly  in  houses 
and  lots  in  Nauvoo.  Spiritual  wives  having  no  legal 
rights  in  Illinois  as  in  Utah,  all  this  property  was  held 
by  his  widow  Emma,  who  refused  to  emigrate  and  re¬ 
mained  with  her  three  sons,  Joseph  Jr.,  William  Alex¬ 
ander  and  David  Hyrum,  in  Nauvoo.  The  oldest  and 
youngest  had  been  in  turn  blessed  and  dedicated  to  the 
leadership  by  their  father,  the  latter  before  his  birth ; 
and  when  the  Strangites  organization  had  dissolved, 
Strang’s  successor  went  “  hunting  for  Zion  ”  in  North¬ 
ern  Iowa,  where  he  met  the  remnants  of  the  Cutlerites, 
and  together  they  decided  that  “  Young  Joe  was  the 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


429 


man,”  formed  a  church  and  made  overtures  to  him  ac¬ 
cordingly.  He  responded  that  he  had  received  no 
“call”  but  expected  one;  the  Church  rapidly  aug¬ 
mented  from  the  debris  of  the  scattered  sects,  and 
finally,  in  1860,  Young  Smith  was  “called  as  a 
Prophet”  and  the  “Re-organized  Church”  was  set  up, 
with  head-quarters  at  Plano,  Illinois.  They  number 
twenty  or  thirty  thousand  in  the  West,  and  have  flour¬ 
ishing  missions  in  Great  Britain  and  Scandinavia.  In 
July,  1863,  E.  C.  Briggs  and  Alex.  McCord,  their  first 
missionaries  to  Utah,  reached  Salt  Lake  and  created 
quite  a  sensation ;  Brigham  intimated  to  them  that  their 
lives  were  in  danger,  and  refused  them  the  use  of  any 
public  building  in  the  city.  But  General  Connor  was 
then  in  command  at  Camp  Douglas,  with  a  small  pro¬ 
vost  guard  in  the  city,  and  the  Brighamites  dared  not 
try  violence ;  Briggs  visited  the  people  at  their  homes 
and  preached  wherever  Gentiles  would  open  their  houses 
to  him,  and  soon  had  many  converts.  Nearly  two  hun¬ 
dred  of  these  left  the  Territory  in  1864,  under  a  mili¬ 
tary  escort  furnished  by  General  Connor,  and  since  that 
time  many  more  have  left  Utah,  and  their  missions 
there  include  over  five  hundred  members. 

But  all  the  excitement  connected  with  Briggs’  visit 
was  as  nothing  to  that  of  last  summer,  when  it  was 
announced  that  William  Alexander  and  David  Hyrum, 
“  sons  of  the  Prophet  and  Martyr,”  had  reached  Salt 
Lake  to  advocate  the  reformed  faith.  They  obtained 
Independence  Hall,  the  only  public  building  belonging 
to  the  Gentiles,  for  their  meetings;  and  on  their  first 
service  it  was  crowded  by  the  Mormons,  among  them 


430  LIFE  IN  UTAH  ;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

most  of  the  widows  of  Heber  C.  Kimball  and  the  wives 
of  Brigham  Young.  Unable  to  dispute  the  revelation 
in  favor  of  David,  the  Brighamites  maintain  that  he 
“  is  now  in  apostasy,  and  when  he  embraces  the  true 
faith  and  comes  in  the  right  way,  they  will  receive  him.” 
This  they  confidently  believe  he  will  yet  do.  The  evi¬ 
dent  absurdity  of  dictating  to  a  foreordained  Prophet,  in 
just  what  way  he  shall  come,  does  not  seem  to  affect 
their  views.  The  Brighamites  were  startled  clear  out 
of  their  propriety,  abandoned  their  silent  policy  and 
organized  a  series  of  meetings  in  opposition  to  the 
“  Smith  boys.”  But  Brigham  was  entirely  too  shrewd 
to  take  the  lead,  and  put  forward  Apostle  Joseph  F. 
Smith,  son  of  “  Hyrum  the  Martyr,”  to  manage  the  op¬ 
position  meetings.  The  writer  attended  most  of  the 
meetings,  and  fully  realized  the  force  of  the  maxim  in 
regard  to  gleaning  the  truth  from  the  disagreement  of 
rogues.  The  controversy  was  one  of  that  peculiar  kind 
where  both  parties  “know  they  are  right,”  and  can 
prove  all  they  wish  by  abundant  testimony. 

The  Brighamites  can  prove  beyond  a  doubt  that 
Joseph  Smith  practised  polygamy,  while  the  Josephites 
can  prove,  by  equal  personal  and  documentary  evidence, 
that  he  denied  and  reprobated  the  doctrine  till  the  last 
day  of  his  life.  Sixteen  women  swore  most  positively, 
and  allowed  their  affidavits  to  be  published  in  the 
“  Expositor,”  at  Nauvoo,  that  Joe  Smith  made  proposals 
to  them  to  become  his  concubines ;  twelve  women  now 
in  Salt  Lake  City  make  affidavit  that  they  were  the 
spiritual  wives  of  Smith  at  Nauvoo;  Joseph  F.,  son  of 
Hyrum  Smith,  testifies  that  he  knew  certainly  of  his 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


431 


father  having  more  than  one  wife,  and  hundreds  of  old 
Mormons  testify  that  Joe  and  Hyrum  taught  them  the 
doctrine,  and  sealed  them  to  extra  wives. 

The  proof  on  the  other  side  is  equally  clear,  as  al¬ 
ready  detailed,*  making  the  question  one  which  can 
never  be  settled  by  evidence,  which  means  eternal  con¬ 
troversy.  A  Gentile  would  find  an  easy  way  out  of  the 
dilemma  by  considering  Joe  Smith  a  lying  impostor ; 
but  that  would  never  do  for  these  sects,  each  of  which 
claims  to  be  his  only  true  Church.  The  Brighamites, 
however,  flatly  acknowledge  that  all  these  denials  were 
made ;  freely  admit  that  their  Prophet  often  found  it 
necessary  to  lie  to  save  his  life,  and  generally  state  that 
their  “religion  occasionally  makes  it  necessary  for  the 
priesthood  to  lie,”  all  of  which  their  history  abundantly 
proves  to  be  the  case.  But  the  “Smith  boys”  accomp¬ 
lished  little  in  Utah.  They  were  not  the  men  to 
organize  a  revolution ;  they  were  in  no  respect  shrewd 
enough  to  contend  with  the  leading  Brighamites,  nor 
half  crazy  and  violent  enough  to  excite  the  people ;  they 
were,  in  fact,  hopelessly  mediocre.  Their  position  was 
weak  and  untenable ;  their  claims  for  their  father  easily 
disproved,  and  their  propositions  inherently  absurd. 
The  writer,  from  personal  acquaintance  with  William 
and  David,  is  disposed  to  esteem  them  highly  as  citizens, 
and  respect  them  as  honest  in  their  aims ;  but  would 
respectfully  ask :  If  you  “purify  the  Church,”  if  you 
blot  out  polygamy,  incest,  blood-atonement,  “Adam- 
worship,”  and  “Danites,”  what  will  you  have  left? 
How  much  Mormonism  will  there  be  in  your  Church  ? 

The  “Re-organized  Church”  has  a  number  of  period- 


*  See  Chapter  XIV. 


432  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

icals,  and  a  lengthy  “  Confession  of  Faith,”  from  which 
I  extract  those  tenets  disinguishing  them  from  the 
Brighamites : 

“We  believe  in  being  subject  to  kings,  queens,  presi¬ 
dents,  rulers,  and  magistrates ;  in  obeying  and  honoring 
the  law. 

“We  believe  that  the  Church  in  Utah,  under  the 
presidency  of  Brigham  Young,  have  apostatized  from 
the  true  order  of  the  Gospel. 

“We  believe  that  the  doctrines  of  polygamy,  human 
sacrifice,  or  killing  men  to  save  them,  Adam  being  God, 
Utah  being  Zion,  or  the  gathering  place  for  the  Saints, 
are  doctrines  of  devils,  instituted  by  wicked  men,  for 
the  accomplishment  of  their  own  lustful  desires,  and 
with  a  view  to  their  personal  aggrandizement. 

“We  believe  in  being  true  and  loyal  to  the  Govern¬ 
ment  of  the  United  States,  and  have  no  sympathy  or 
fellowship  for  the  treasonable  practices  or  wicked 
abominations  endorsed  by  Brigham  Young  and  his 
followers.” 

Young  Joe  has  had  but  two  revelations,  both  very 
mild,  and  seems  to  be  slow  in  the  business  of  Prophet. 
But  whoever  leads  off  the  ignorant  of  Utah  must 
outbrigham  Brigham,  must  go  to  greater  lengths, of 
fanaticism  and  have  copious  revelations  daily.  This 
accounts  in  part  for  Morris’  success ;  he  was  as  crazj 
as  any  of  his  followers. 

The  last  revolt  against  the  power  of  Brigham  is 
headed  by  several  prominent  men  in  Salt  Lake  City, 
among  them  Wm.  S.  Godbe,  Henry  Lawrence,  W.  H. 

Shearman  and - Tullidge.  This  sect  has  been  long  in 

growing,  consisting  of  those  who  supported  the  Utah 


AND  CRIMES-  OF  MORMONISM. 


433 


Magazine  as  the  organ  of  independent  thought ;  but  it 
was  not  till  last  autumn  that  the  leaders  boldly 
announced  the  policy  of  opposition  to  the  excessive 
temporal  government  of  the  priesthood.  The  First 
Presidency  promptly  condemned  the  Utah  Magazine , 
and  Brigham  issued  a  general  order  forbidding  all  true 
Saints  to  patronize  or  read  it.  The  Editor  and  pro¬ 
prietors  were  cited  before  the  High  Council,  and  refusing 
to  recant  and  ask  pardon  were  summarily  66  cut  off.”  A 
few  who  voted  against  this  excision  were  called  upon  to 
explain  their  votes,  and  failing  to  do  so  were  also  “  cut 
off.”  The  schism  increased,  the  new  party  contained 
some  wealthy  and  influential  men,  and  in  a  short  time 
they  had  established  a  new  weekly  paper,  the  Mormon 
Tribune ,  to  promulgate  their  views.  They  call  their 
new  organization  the  66  Church  of  Zion,”  and  at  last  ac¬ 
counts  numbered  nearly  five  thousand  in  the  Territory. 
Their  platform  lays  down  the  principles,  that  the 
Priesthood  are  only  teachers,  and  have  no  right  to  con¬ 
trol  the  people  in  all  their  social  and  business  relations;  ' 
that  the  mines  should  be  developed,  and  trade  free  and 
unrestricted  with  all  classes ;  that  tithing  should  con¬ 
sist  of  a  tenth  of  all  one’s  increase,  and  not  a  tenth  of 
his  yearly  proceeds,  and  many  other  liberal  principles.. 
This  is  so  far  the  most  sensible  and  promising  set  of 
principles  from  any  of  the  recusant  sects.  They  still, 
claim  to  be  good  Mormons,  maintain  polygamy  and 
every  man’s  right  to  revelation.  Many  of  the  leaders' 
are  spiritualists;  most  are  evidently  honest  in  their1 
views ,  and  it  is  to  be  hoped  they  are  sufficiently  crazy 
to  outdo  Brigham  in  fanaticism  and  carry  the  matter 
28 


434  LIFE  IN  UTAH  ;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

through.  The  present  year  will  probably  witness 
strange  changes  at  Salt  Lake.  Granted  that  Mor- 
monism  is  to  work  out  its  own  destiny  without  govern¬ 
mental  interference,  the  question  at  once  arises  :  After 
Brigham,  what  ?  Who  will  be  his  successor  ?  There 
is  no  one  in  the  church  who  can  entirely  fill  his  place, 
and  five  or  six  probable  aspirants,  of  whom  one  is  about 
as  well  fitted  as  another.  According  to  precedent  in 
the  case  of  Brigham  himself,  Orson  Hyde,  President  of 
the  Twelve  Apostles,  would  succeed ;  but  he  is  a 
blundering  and  impulsive  scamp,  mean  enough  for  the 
place,  but  lacking  in  discretion.  He  is  besides  rather 
old,  and  has  apostatized  once.  Daniel  H.  Wells  is  next 
in  rank,  but  his  bloodthirsty  fanaticism  would  involve 
the  people  in  war  in  a  short  time.  Orson  Pratt  is  the 
most  learned  of  the  Apostles,  hut  is  a  dreaming  astron¬ 
omer,  quite  impractical.  George  A.  Smith  is  an  easy 
going,  good-natured  sensualist ;  unscrupulous  enough  for 
the  place,  perhaps,,  but  without  executive  ability. 

1  Should  Brigham  die  at  an  early  day,  the  strong  prob¬ 
ability  is  that  the  Church  would  divide  into  at  least 
three  bodies.  Many  of  the  English  and  Americans  would 
follow  David  Hyrum  Smith ;  the  most  enlightened  and 
liberal  would  enter  the  “  Church  of  Zion,”  and  the  ig¬ 
norant  mass  would  follow  the  lead  of  the  Twelve  Apos¬ 
tles  as  before,  eventually  coming  under  the  rule  of  one. 

Having  brought  down  our  history  to  near  the  present 
time,  let  us  take  a  brief  view  of  the  material  interests 
.and  resources  of  Utah.  The  notes  in  the  two  succeed¬ 
ing  chapters  are  the  result  of  a  year’s  travel  and 
residence  in  Utah,  aided  by  a  study  of  the  best  authori¬ 
ties,  to  which  due  credit  is  given  in  passing. 


AND  CRIMES  OP  MORMONISM. 


435 


9 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

GEOGRAPHICAL  FEATURES. 

Territorial  limits — “  Basins  ” — “  Sinks  ” — “Flats  ” — Rain  and  evaporation 
— Elemental  action  and  reaction — Potamology — Jordan — Kay’s  Creek — 
Weber — Bear  River — Cache  Valley — Timber — Blue  Creek — Promontory 
— Great  Desert — Utah  Lake — Spanish  Fork — Salt  Creek — Timpanogos 
— Sevier  River — Colorado  System — Fish — Thermal  and  Chemical 
Springs — Healing  Waters — Hot  water  plants — Analysis  by  Dr.  Gale — 
Mineral  Springs— Salt  beds — Alkali  flats — Native  Salts— Great  Salt 
Lake — First  accounts — Fremont — Stansbury — Amount  of  salt — Val¬ 
leys — Rise  of  the  Lake — Islands — Bear  Lake--“  Ginasticutis  ” — Utah 
Lake — Climate — Increase  of  rain — Singular  phenomena — Fine  air — Re¬ 
lief  for  pulmonary  complaints. 

Utah  is  included  between  the  37th  and  42d  parallels 
of  North  latitude,  and  meridians  109  and  114  west 
from  Greenwich ;  deducting,  however,  from  the  north¬ 
east  corner  a  section  of  one  degree  of  latitude  by  two 
of  longitude,  lately  attached  to  Wyoming.  Its  greatest 
length  is  thus,  from  north  to  south,  five  full  degrees, 
and  its  width  from  east  to  west,  five  of  the  shorter 
meridional  degrees;  the  whole  area  divided  nearly 
equally  between  two  geographical  sections,  viz. :  the 
valley  and  drainage  of  the  Colorado  and  its  affluents, 
the  Green  and  Grand  rivers,  and  the  district  known  as 
the  Great  or  Interior  Basin.  This  remarkable  section, 
containing  the  western  half  of  Utah,  all  of  Nevada, 
and  a  part  of  southeastern  California,  includes  all  that 
portion  of  the  continent  extending  north  and  south 
between  the  parallels  37  and  42,  and  from  east  to 


436  LIFE  IN  UTAH  ;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

west  from  near  the  meridian  111,  Greenwich,  to  the 
Sierra  Nevadas,  which  tend  northwesterly  from  the 
meridian  of  116,  to  that  of  121 ;  an  irregular  parallelo¬ 
gram  four  hundred  miles  in  extent,  from  north  to  south, 
and  five  hundred  miles  from  east  to  west.  The  term 
u  basin,”  is  only  applicable  to  the  whole  tract,  in  view 
of  the  fact,  that  its  waters  have  no  outlet  to  the  ocean, 
for  the  general  level  of  the  lower  tracts  is  as  high  as 
average  mountain  ranges,  and  the  so-called  valleys  are 
little  more  than  mountain  flats;  the  entire  section  is 
thus  composed  of  a  succession  of  heights,  basins,  and 
mountain  plateaus.  A  “  succession  of  basins,”  because 
many  of  the  traverse  ranges  are  of  equal  height  with 
those  on  the  borders ;  dotted  also  in  the  most  level  por¬ 
tions  with  detached  hills  and  knobs,  relieved  at  rare  in¬ 
tervals  by  fertile  vales,  spotted  again  by  vast  deserts  of 
sand  and  alkali  or  brackish  lakes — a  region 

u  Now  of  frozen,  now  of  fiery  alps, 

Rocks,  fens,  bogs,  dens  and  shades  of  death.” 

Wherever  the  mountains  are  high  enough  to  furnish 
melting  snow  throughout  the  the  summer,  large  streams 
flow  down  their  sides,  and  fertile  tracts  are  found  along 
their  base,  caused  by  the  percolation  of  moisture  from 
above  ;  but  in  general  at  any  great  distance  from  the  foot 
of  the  mountains  we  find  barrenness,  and  throughout 
the  Great  Basin  a  large  tract  without  mountains  is  in¬ 
variably  a  desert.  Most  of  the  mountain  streams  sink 
before  connecting  with  any  other  body  of  water,  in 
many  places  among  the  foot-hills  before  reaching  the 
plain ;  others  spread  out  and  supply  natural  irrigation 
to  a  mile  or  two  of  land,  producing  broad  savannas  of 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


437 


coarse,  rank  grass,  little  oases,  quite  attractive  in  them¬ 
selves  and  delightful  in  comparison  with  the  sterility 
beyond.  Along  the  foot  of  some  ranges  the  traveler, 
every  mile  or  so,  crosses  a  considerable  stream,  rushing 
clear  and  strong  from  the  mountain  hollows,  but  two  or 
three  miles  down  the  plain  not  a  channel  or  trace  of 
water  is  to  be  found,  the  thirsty  soil,  warm  sun,  and 
drying  air,  having  exhausted  the  scant  liquid ;  and  it 
is  only  in  very  wet  seasons  that  any  of  these  streams 
form  lakes.  In  other  localities  a  more  plentiful  supply 
and  the  cool  shadow  of  long  ranges  give  rise  to  streams 
of  sufficient  size  to  be  called  rivers,  of  which  the  best 
known  in  Utah  are  the  Jordan,  Bear  Biver,  Sevier, 
Ogden  and  Weber;  and  bordering  these  larger  streams 
are  valleys  of  great  fertility,  comprising  the  agricultural 
wealth  of  the  Territory.  Many  of  the  smaller  streams 
form  long,  shallow  lagoons  or  marshes  near  the  centers 
or  at  the  points  of  lowest  depression  in  the  basins, 
generally  called  66  sinks,”  in  which  term  is  embodied  an 
empirical  explanation  of  the  disappearance  of  the  water, 
by  those  ignorant  of  the  fact,  that  in  nature’s  laboratory 
action  and  reaction  are  equal,  and  that  the  fall  of  rain 
and  snow  in  an  enclosed  basin  must  be  exactly  counter¬ 
balanced  by  evaporation.  In  most  cases  the  water  sup¬ 
ply  is  so  scant  that  these  “  sinks  ”  become  entirely  dry 
in  summer,  and  are  then  known  as  mud  flats,”  of 
which,  the  most  extensive  are  in  Western  Nevada.  A 
smaller  number  contain  some  water  all  the  year,  of 
which  a  few  rise  to  the  dignity  of  lakes.  With  no  out¬ 
lets,  and  receiving  all  the  chemical  material  brought 
down  by  the  wash  of  their  “  feeders,”  they  are  of  neces- 


438  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

sity  either  very  saline  in  character,  or  brackish  and 
impregnated  with  iron. 

Throughout  the  Great  Basin  certain  general  features 
are  observable ;  the  mountain  ranges  mostly  run  north 
and  south,  and  the  longer  valleys  lie  in  the  same  direc¬ 
tion.  But  in  this  particular  man  has  not  been  able  to 
accommodate  himself  to  nature,  and  the  course  of  civili¬ 
zation  as  well  as  empire  has  made  it  necessary  for  the 
roads  to  run  east  and  west.  One  may  go  from  Montana 
to  Arizona,  and  travel  in  valleys  nearly  all  the  way, 
seldom  crossing  anything  more  than  a  low  “  divide,” 
but  from  east  to  west  each  range  must  be  crossed  at 
certain  points,  for  which  cause  the  old  road  south  of  the 
Lake  was  a  perfect  zig-zag,  selecting  the  most  feasible 
valleys,  avoiding  the  mountains  wherever  possible,  or 
u  canyoning”  up  one  side  and  down  the  other,  diverging 
great  distances  from  the  direct  line,  and  running  to 
almost  every  point  of  the  compass. 

The  “  rim  of  the  Basin”  is  uncontinuous,  formed  by 
various  ranges.  On  the  north  are  the  broken  chains  of 
the  Oregon  system,  from  8,000  to  10,000  feet  high,  send¬ 
ing  out  many  spurs  and  traverse  ridges.  On  the  western 
border  the  Sierra  Nevadas  average  10,000  feet,  and  some 
peaks  tower  far  above  that  altitude.  On  the  south  are 
the  lower  sub-ranges  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  mere 
“  divides,”  separating  the  waters  of  the  Basin  from 
those  of  the  Colorado;  and  on  the  east  is  the  main 
Uintah  range,  known  by  various  names,  with  several 
portions  rising  to  9,000  or  10,000  feet.  Thus  the  sur¬ 
face  configuration  of  Utah  is  a  great  depression  in  a 
mountain  land,  a  trough,  so  to  speak,  elevated  4,000  or 


/ 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


439 


5,000  feet  above  sea  level ;  subtended  on  all  sides  by 
mountain  ranges  8,000  to  10,000  feet  high,  and  sub¬ 
divided  by  transverse  ranges;  in  the  geologic  age,  a 
sweet  water  inland  sea,  in  aboriginal  times,  the  home 
of  the  most  abject  savages — long  a  region  of  miscon¬ 
ception  and  fable — then  the  chosen  home  of  a  strange 
religion,  and  but  yesterday  found  to  be  of  use  and  inter¬ 
est  to  the  civilized  world.  Leaving  the  mountain  ranges 
which  bound  the  great  basin,  there  is  a  general  break¬ 
ing  down,  so  to  speak,  towards  the  interior ;  most  of  the 
transverse  ranges  run  north  and  south,  terminating  in 
bold  headlands  towards  the  south,  though  none  are 
of  sufficient  length  and  continuous  height  to  constitute 
a  well  defined  system.  Few  of  these  ridges  present 
regular  slopes,  but  are  formed  of  acute  and  angular  cap¬ 
pings,  superimposed  upon  flatter  prisons ;  and  frequently 
after  ascending  two-thirds  from  the  base,  the  upper  part 
becomes  wall-like  and  insurmountable.  Of  these  interior 
peaks,  or  terminal  headlands,  the  most  noted  are  the 
Twin  Peaks,  southeast  of  Salt  Lake  City,  ascertained  by 
Orson  Pratt  and  Albert  Carrington  to  be  11,660  feet  in 
height;  Mount  Nebo,  8,000  feet;  the  Wasatch  spur, 
near  Salt  Lake  City,  averaging  6,000  feet,  and  the 
Oquirrh  range,  which  terminates  in  a  bold  headland  at 
the  south  end  of  the  Lake,  locally  known  as  the  West 
Mountain,  lying  twenty  miles  west  of  Salt  Lake  City. 

The  Salt  Lake  Basin,  including  many  adjacent  and 
connecting  valleys,  was  evidently  an  inland  sea,  as 
shown  by  the  “  bench  formation,”  a  system  of  water¬ 
marks  along  the  mountains,  points  of  successive  subsi¬ 
dence  of  the  waters ;  while  many  of  the  detached 


440  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

mountain  peaks  were  as  evidently  islands,  similar  to 
those  now  rising  above  the  surface  of  the  Lake.  Ac¬ 
cording  to  some,  the  dry  land  was  formed  by  successive 
upheavals ;  according  to  others,  by  ages  of  evaporation. 
If  the  latter  theory  be  correct,  it  must  have  been  through 
a  “  dry  cycle  ”  of  many  thousand  years,  and  if,  as  many 
suppose,  the  “  dry  cycle  ”  has  ended  and  the  rain  zones 
are  changing  so  as  to  again  include  this  section,  we  may 
look  for  a  still  greater  rise  in  the  Lake  surface  than 
that  of  the  last  dozen  years. 

The  river  system  of  Utah  is  curious,  but  unimportant 
as  to  navigation.  The  noted  Jordan,  an  exact  counter¬ 
part  of  its  Eastern  namesake,  has  its  origin  in  Utah 
Lake,  and  by  a  course  of  fifty  miles,  a  little  west  of 
north,  discharges  the  surplus  waters  of  that  body  into 
Great  Salt  Lake.  It  is  quite  evident,  however,  from 
mere  inspection,  that  a  much  greater  quantity  of  water 
is  poured  into  Utah  Lake  from  its  many  mountain 
affluents  than  flows  out  through  the  Jordan;  a  small 
portion  may  escape  by  percolation,  but  at  that  elevation 
and  in  that  drying  air  more  is  accounted  for  by  evap¬ 
oration.  This  stream  has  an  average  width  of  eight  or 
ten  rods ;  through  the  upper  part  of  its  course  and  in 
Jordan  Canon  it  is  swift  and  shallow,  in  the  lower  val¬ 
ley  and  near  the  City  more  sluggish,  with  a  depth  of 
ten  feet  or  more. 

Passing  around  the  Lake  eastwardly,  the  next  stream 
of  any  note  is  Kay’s  Creek,  furnishing  plentiful  irriga¬ 
tion  to  the  farms  of  Kay’s  Ward,  besides  which,  there 
are  numerous  streams  of  smaller  size  which  break  out 
of  the  Wasatch  range,  are  diverted  into  irrigating 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


441 


canals,  and  by  a  thousand  rills  through  the  farms  find 
their  way  to  the  marshy  lands  near  the  Lake. 

The  main  stream  from  the  east  is  the  Weber,  which 
has  its  rise  some  sixty  miles  east  of  Salt  Lake  City,  in 
the  highest  valley  of  Summit  County ;  thence,  flowing 
to  the  north,  is  swelled  by  the  waters  of  East  Branch, 
Silver,  White,  Clay  and  Echo  Creeks,  then  turning 
northwest  breaks  through  the  W  asatch  range,  gives  form 
and  name  to  Weber  Canon,  enters  the  valley  thirty -three 
miles  north  of  Salt  Lake  City,  and  forming  a  large  U, 
with  the  bend  sharply  to  the  north,  enters  the  Lake. 
Bear  Biver  rises  in  the  same  county,  and  but  a  little 
east  and  north  of  the  Weber,  and  running  nearly  two 
hundred  miles  down  a  northern  slope,  between  two 
spurs  of  the  Uintah  Mountains,  forms  a  great  U  in 
Idaho,  then  turning  southwest,  “  canyons”  through 
another  spur  of  the  Uintah,  into  Cache  Valley,  the 
northeastern  section  of  the  Territory  and  home  of 
12,000  Mormons;  then  “  canyons”  downward  three 
miles,  with  a  fall  of  1000  feet,  out  of  Cache  into  Bear 
River  Valley,  through  which  it  runs  to  the  head  of 
Bear  River  Bay,  the  last  twenty  miles  of  its  course  the 
only  navigable  river  in  Utah. 

From  the  mouth  of  Bear  River  Canon  to  the  head 
of  the  Bay  is  about  thirty-five  miles  in  a  direct  line, 
the  valley  maintaining  an  average  width  of  fifteen 
miles  down  to  Corinne,  where  it  widens  imperceptibly 
into  Salt  Lake  Valley. 

Bear  River  runs  through  the  finest  lumber  region  in 
Utah,  of  which  it  is  the  natural  outlet,  and  many 
thousand  logs  have  already  been  sent  down  to  Corinne, 


MIRAGE  SEEN  ON  THE  PROMONTORY  NORTH  OF  GREAT  SALT  LAKE. 


442 


LIFE  IN  UTAH  ;  OR?  THE  MYSTERIES 


$ 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


443 


where  a  saw-mill  and  sash  factory  are  now  in  opera¬ 
tion. 

The  Malad  joins  Bear  Biver  a  few  miles  above 
Corinne,  between  which  place  and  the  promontory 
there  are  a  few  springs  breaking  out  of  the  mountains, 
constituting  but  one  stream  large  enough  to  have  a 
name,  Blue  Creek.  West  of  the  promontory  a  few 
springs  run  together  in  the  midst  of  a  horrible  desert 
and  form  Indian  Creek,  which  sometimes  reaches  the 
lake  in  wet  seasons.  Thence,  around  the  head  of  the 
lake  and  down  the  entire  western  shore,  for  one  hun¬ 
dred  miles,  there  is  no  stream  large  enough  to  have  a 
name,  and  but  one  furnishing  running  water  in  all 
seasons. 

On  the  southwest  a  small  creek  from  Tooelle  valley 
reaches  the  Lake,  completing  the  list  of  affluents  to  that 
body.  Next  in  importance  are  the  feeders  of  Utah 
Lake,  of  which  the  principal  are,  Salt  Creek  from  the 
south,  Spanish  Fork  from  the  east,  and  Timpanogas 
from  the  northeast-,  which,  with  the  addition  of  several 
smaller  streams,  furnish  at  least  twice  as  much  water  to 
that  “gem  of  the  desert,”  as  the  Jordan  carries  off. 
The  only  other  stream  of  any  importance  is  the  Sevier 
Biver,  which  rises  near  the  southern  boundary  of  Utah, 
in  Fish  Lake,  runs  a  hundred  and  fifty  miles  to  the 
north,  then  bends  to  the  west  around  the  point  of  Iron 
Mountain,  receiving  the  small  supplies  of  Salt  Creek, 
San  Pete,  Chicken  Creek,  and  Meadow  Creek,  then 
taking  a  southwest  course,  is  lost  in  the  “  big  sink  ”  of 
Sevier  Lake  Desert.  West  of  the  Iron  Mountain  range 
are  a  score  of  “  sinking  creeks,”  among  them  Pioneer, 


444  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

Chalk,  Cove  and  Corn  Creeks,  which  are  fed  by  the 
melting  snows  of  the  mountains,  furnish  scant  irriga¬ 
tion  to  a  small  strip  of  land,  and  are  “  lost  ”  in  the 
Great  Desert  of  southwestern  Utah. 

Below  the  “  divide,”  the  only  streams  of  note  are  the 
Rio  Virgen  and  its  affluents,  which  belong  to  the  Colo¬ 
rado  system.  Most  of  the  larger  streams  abound  in  fish, 
among  which  mountain  trout  are  particularly  worthy 
of  note  ;  their  waters,  on  issuing  from  hills,  are  of  great 
clearness  and  purity,  and  it  is  only  where  small  streams 
have  run  some  distance  across  the  plain  that  they  are, 
in  local  phrase,  u  alkalied.” 

The  rivers  depend  for  their  existence  upon  the  moun¬ 
tains,  and  without  those  gorges,  which  supply  melted 
snow  during  the  spring  and  summer,  there  would  be  no 
running  water. 

Next  to  the  “ sinking”  rivers  of  Utah,  the  thermal 
and  chemical  springs  constitute  a  remarkable  feature. 
They  are  found  in  almost  every  part  of  the  Territory, 
but  principally  along  the  road  from  Salt  Lake  City 
northward.  All  along  the  foothills  of  the  Promontory 
range,  in  the  mountains  southwest  of  Utah  Lake,  and 
between  the  city  and  Bear  River,  are  fountains  of  strong 
brine,  discharging  in  many  instances  large  volumes  of 
water ;  there  are  sulphurous  pools  at  the  southern  ex¬ 
tremity  of  Salt  Lake  Valley;  in  one  of  the  islands  in  the 
lake  are  springs  of  every  character,  and  in  places  along 
the  Wasatch,  hot,  cold  and  chalybeate,  are  found  side 
by  side. 

First  in  fame,  and  probably  in  medical  value,  are  the 
Warm  Springs  in  Salt  Lake  City.  Issuing  in  large 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


445 


volume  from  the  mountain  side,  the  water  is  conveyed 
in  pipes  to  a  regular  bathing  house  on  one  side,  and  to 
a  plunge  pool  on  the  other,  constituting,  in  my  opinion, 
the  most  praiseworthy  of  Mormon  institutions. 

The  following  analysis  is  by  Dr.  Gale,  assistant  of 
Captain  Stanbury,  in  1850.  One  hundred  parts  of  the 
water,  whose  specific  gravity  was  7.0112,  gave  solid 
contents  of  1.068,087,  divided  as  follows  : 


Sulphuretted  hydrogen .  0.038,182 

Carbonate  of  lime .  0.075,000 

u  magnesia .  0.022,770 

Chloride  of  calcium . 0.005,700 

Sulphate  of  soda .  0.064,835 

Chloride  of  sodium .  0.861,600 


1,068,087 

The  usual  temperature  is  102°. 

Three  miles  north  of  the  city  the  Hot  Springs  boil 
out  from  a  rock  at  the  foot  of  the  mountain,  forming  a 
hot  pool  two  or  three  rods  in  circumference,  whence  the 
branch  runs  westward  and  forms  the  Hot  Spring  Lake, 
a  body  of  sulphurous  water  some  two  miles  long,  and 
about  half  as  wide,  having  an  outlet  into  the  Jordan. 
At  several  places  around  the  margin  of  this  singular 
lake,  small  jets  of  hot  water  boil  up  with  great  force ; 
the  air  in  the  neighborhood  is  loaded  with  the  vapors, 
and  immediately  over  the  spring  is  almost  stifling. 
Gazing  into  the  small  pool,  formed  by  the  spring,  the 
eye  is  charmed  by  the  variety  of  fanciful  growths,  the 
confervae  on  the  rocky  bottom.  Every  conceivable 
form  of  vegetation  is  to  be  seen ;  leaves,  plants,  flowers 
and  fernlike  stems,  all  of  the  purest  emerald.  But  all 
are  deceptions,  mere  imitations  of  plants  formed  by  the 


i 

446  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

chemical  material  on  the  points  of  stone.  The  temper¬ 
ature  of  this  spring  is  128° ;  its  specific  gravity  1.0130, 
and  one  hundred  parts  yield  solid  contents  1.0602, 
divided,  according  to  Dr.  Gale,  as  follows : 


Chloride  of  sodium . . . 
“  magnesia 

u  calcium.. 

Sulphate  of  lime . 

Carbonate  of  lime 
Silica . 


0.8052 

0.0288 

0.1096 

0.0806 

0.0180 

0.0180 


1.0602 


The  most  noted  mineral  springs  are  seventy  miles 
north  of  Salt  Lake  City,  near  the  north  crossing  of 
Bear  River ;  they  are  hot  and  cold,  impregnated  with 
iron  or  with  sulphur,  some  twenty  in  number,  and  all 
rising  within  a  few  feet  of  each  other.  Three  springs, 
the  first  very  hot  and  sulphurous,  the  second  moder¬ 
ately  warm  and  tasting  of  iron,  the  third  of  cold,  pure 
water,  rise  within  a  space  of  three  feet.  The  waters, 
all  flowing  into  the  same  channel,  do  not  mix  at  once, 
but  run  apparently  in  separate  strata  for  several 
hundred  yards,  the  hot  metalic  water  often  running 
under  the  clear,  cold  water ;  nor  is  it  until  the  sudden 
bends  in  the  channel  have  thrown  the  streams  violently 
from  side  to  side,  that  they  mingle  in  a  fluid  of  uniform 
temperature.  South  of  Salt  Lake  City,  along  the  Jor¬ 
dan,  are  found  hot  pools  which  send  out  very  little 
water,  and  in  other  places  are  chalybeate  springs, 
coating  the  earth  and  rocks  with  oxide  of  iron.  There 
are  also  chemical  springs  on  one  or  two  of  the  islands  in 
the  lake. 

The  great  salt  beds  of  the  Basin  are  in  Nevada,  but 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


447 


in  southern  Utah  is  a  peak  known  as  the  “  Salt  Moun¬ 
tain/’  from  which  that  mineral  can  be  cut  in  solid 
blocks,  in  its  pure  crystalized  state. 

Of  the  mud  flats,  impregnated  with  soda,  and  the 
alkali  deposits,  there  is  a  decided  surplus,  particularly 
as  man  has  been  unable  to  devise  any  use  for  such  a 
quantity  of  those  chemicals  in  that  shape.  It  is 
thought  the  presence  of  alkali  increases  the  cold,  nor 
does  it  seem  possible  to  eradicate  it  from  the  soil.  A 
slight  admixture  is  thought  to  be  beneficial  to  vegeta¬ 
tion,  but  wherever  there  is  enough  to  “  flower  out  ” 
upon  the  surface,  it  is  death  to  all  vegetation — even 
the  hardy  sage  brush.  Saltpetre  is  found,  though 
rarely ;  sulphur  is  rather  too  common ;  borax  is  found 
in  moderate  amount;  petroleum  has  lately  been  dis¬ 
covered  “in  paying  quantities,”  and  the  native  alum 
was  analyzed  and  pronounced  good  by  Dr.  Gale.  From 
his  report  a  hundred  grammes  of  the  freshly  crystalized 


salt  gave : 

Water . 70.3 

Protoxide  of  manganese .  08.9 

Alumina .  04.0 

Sulphuric  acid .  18.0 


Of  the  vast  chemical  wealth  of  the  Territory  but 
little  is  known,  and  next  to  nothing  has  been  utilized, 
but  in  a  general  view  the  entire  Basin  seems  a  vast 
laboratory  of  nature,  where  all  the  primitive  processes 
have  been  carried  out  on  a  scale  so  extensive  as  to 
make  man’s  dominion,  at  first  sight,  seem  forever  im¬ 
possible. 

First  in  interest  among  the  large  bodies  of  water,  is 


448  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR;  THE  MYSTERIES 

the  Great  Salt  Lake,  the  “  Dead  Sea  of  America,”  which 
lies  toward  the  northwest  corner  of  Utah  Territory, 
4,200  feet  above  sea-level,  and  twelve  miles,  at  the 
nearest  point  from  Salt  Lake  City.  It  is  in  the  form 
of  an  irregular  parallelogram,  of  which  the  major  axis, 
running  N.  W.  by  N.,  is  seventy  miles  in  length,  and 
the  minor  axis  forty  miles;  the  different  projections, 
however,  greatly  increase  the  area,  which  is  laid  down 
by  Captain  Stansbury  at  90  by  40  miles,  in  round 
numbers.  The  first  mention  in  history  of  this  wonder¬ 
ful  Lake  is  by  Baron  Hontan,  French  Governor  of  New¬ 
foundland,  who  made  a  voyage  west  of  the  Mississippi, 
in  the  year  1690,  and  sailed  for  six  weeks  up  a  river, 
probably  the  Missouri,  according  to  his  description. 
Here  he  found  a  nation  of  Indians  called  the  “  Gnacsi- 
tares,”  probably  one  of  the  now'  extinct  Mandan  tribes. 
These  Indians  brought  to  him  four  captives  of  a  “  na¬ 
tion,  far  to  the  west,  whom  they  called  Mozeemleks,” 
of  whom  the  Baron  says  : 

“  The  Mozeemlek  nation  is  numerous  and  puissant. 
These  four  captives  informed  me  that  at  a  distance  of 
one  hundred  and  fifty  leagues  from  where  I  then  was, 
their  •  principal  river  empties  itself  into  a  salt  lake  of 
three  hundred  leagues  in  circumference,  the  mouth  of 
which  is  two  leagues  broad;  that  there  are  a  hundred 
towns,  great  and  small,  around  that  sort  of  sea,  and 
upon  it  they  navigate  with  such  boats  as  you  see  drawn 
on  the  map,  which  map  the  Mozeemlek  people  drew  me 
on  the  bark  of  trees ;  that  the  people  of  that  country 
made  stuffs,  copper  axes,  and  several  other  manufac¬ 
tures,  which  the  Outagamis  and  other  interpreters  could 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


449 


not  give  me  to  understand  as  being  altogether  unac¬ 
quainted  with  such  things,”  etc.,  etc.,  etc. 

These  captives  may  have  been  of  the  Ute  nation,  or 
more  probably,  the  semi-civilized  races  of  Mexico  had 
colonies  there  at  that  time,  as  indicated  by  the  ruins 
found  south  of  the  Lake.  The  next  mention  of  the 
Lake  is  in  a  work  published  in  America  in  1772,  en¬ 
titled  “  A  description  of  the  Province  of  Carolana,  by 
the  Spaniards  called  Florida,  and  by  the  French  called 
Louisiane.”  in  which  are  recited  the  native  accounts  of 
“a  lake  many  leagues  west  of  the  mountains,  in  which 
there  is  no  living  creature,  but  around  its  shore  the 
spirits  inhabit  in  great  vapors,  and  out  of  that  lake  a 
great  river  disembogues  into  the  South  Sea!' 

The  “  spirits”  will  be  readily  recognized  in  the  Hot 
Springs,  but  it  is  singular  that  both  accounts  should 
give  the  Lake  an  outlet.  Not  long  afterwards  the  Lake 
became  well  known  to  hunters  and  trappers,  and  in 
1845  Colonel  Fremont,  then  on  his  second  expedition, 
made  a  sort  of  flying  survey,  which  was  scientifically 
completed  in  1849-50,  by  Captain  Howard  Stansbury. 
In  geologic  ages  the  Lake  was  doubtless  an  inland  sea, 
which  has  declined  to  its  present  limits ;  but  it  is  sin¬ 
gular  that  since  Stansbury’s  survey  the  lake  surface  has 
risen  at  least  twelve  feet,  of  which  eight  feet  were 
gained  in  the  years  1865-66  and  ’67.  The  natural 
result  has  been  to  greatly  weaken  the  saline  character  ' 
of  the  water.  There  is  a  wide-spread  misapprehension 
on  this  subject,  it  being  customary  for  Eastern  lecturers 
to  state  that  “  three  gallons  of  the  water  will  make  one 
of  salt”  The  highest  estimate,  however,  that  by  Fre- 
29 


450  LIFE  IN  UTAH  ;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

mont,  only  gave  twenty-four  per  cent,  of  salt,  and  the 
water  was  taken  from  the  northwest  corner,  the  most 
saline  portion  of  the  lake.  Dr.  Gale  found  one  hundred 
parts  of  the  water  to  contain  solid  contents  22.282,  dis¬ 
tributed  as  follows : 


Chloride  of  sodium,  (common  salt) .  20.196 

Sulphate  of  soda . 1.834 

Chloride  of  magnesium .  0.252 

Chloride  of  calcium .  a  trace 

22.282 


But  it  is  quite  evident  that  an  analysis  at  this  time 
would  show  much  less,  probably  not  more  than  18  per 
cent,  of  solid  matter,  perhaps  even  less  in  the  Eastern 
part,  and  not  over  12  or  14  per  cent,  in  Bear  Biver 
Bay,  the  least  saline  arm  of  the  Lake.  Those  engaged 
in  making  salt  on  Spring  Bay,  certainly  the  most 
saline,  state  that  in  1869  it  required  six  gallons  of 
water  to  make  one  of  salt.  Even  with  this  reduction, 
it  has  no  superior  but  the  Dead  Sea  water,  of  which 
one  hundred  parts  give  solid  contents  24.580,  while 
the  Atlantic  ocean  only  averages  three  and  a  half  per 
cent,  of  its  weight,  or  about  half  an  ounce  to  the  pound. 
At  the  spring  floods  the  Lake  often  rises  several  feet,  and 
retiring  in  the  summer,  leaves  vast  deposits  of  crystal- 
ized  salt.  In  places,  large  bayous  could  easily  be  filled 
during  the  summer  by  wind-mills  upon  the  Lake  shore, 
making  millions  of  tons  of  salt  at  a  trifling  outlay. 
Considering  the  area  of  the  Lake,  90  by  40  miles,  and 
its  average  depth  ten  feet,  this  would  give  a  little  over 
a  thousand  billion  solid  feet  of  water,  or  at  the  rate 
above  mentioned,  4,800,000,000  tons  of  salt !  Estimat- 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


451 


ing  the  population  of  the  earth  at  1200  millions,  this 
would  be  enough  to  supply  them  all,  as  well  as  domestic 
animals,  for  a  thousand  years.  All  through  the  slopes 
northwest  of  the  lake  and  down  the  western  shore, 
are  a  number  of  springs  running  pure  brine,  and  east 
of  the  Promontory,  all  the  wells  dug  within  five  miles 
of  the  Lake  have  yielded  salt  water  at  a  short  depth. 

If  any  one  doubts  the  statement  that  the  waters  of 
the  Lake  are  taken  up  by  evaporation,  and  inclines  to 
the  hypothesis  of  an  underground  outlet,  he  can  easily 
convince  himself  by  dipping  a  basin  of  the  water  and 
exposing  it  for  a  few  moments  to  the  action  of  sun  and 
wind ;  the  drying  air  and  the  direct  rays  of  the  sun 
will  evaporate  it  in  an  incredibly  short  space  of  time. 

Very  beautiful  effects  are  produced  by  taking  shrubs 
of  dwarf  oak  or  pine,  and  dashing  the  salt  water  over 
them  at  intervals  of  a  few  minutes,  allowing  the  salt  to 
form  on  the  leaves  in  thin  filmy  crystals.  The  ingenu¬ 
ity  of  man  seems  in  a  fair  way  to  utilize  even  the  im¬ 
mense  saline  deposits  in  and  near  the  Lake.  The  newly 
discovered  process  of  reducing  native  ore,  in  which  salt 
is  extensively  used,  bids  fair  to  be  generally  adopted, 
and,  as  there  is  valuable  ore  all  over  Nevada  and  three- 
fourths  of  Utah,  the  day  may  not  be  distant  when  we 
will  need  all  of  this  useful  preservative,  which  is  poured 
out  here  in  such  profusion  as  to  seem  a  waste  on  the 
part  of  nature.  Whence  comes  this  salt?  The  mounts 
ain  rains  and  melting  snows  carry  the  washings  of  the 
“salt  mountains”  of  southern  Utah  to  Utah  Lake, 
where  they  are  imperceptible  to  the  taste,  but  are  car¬ 
ried  down  by  the  Jordan ;  united  with  the  contributions 


452  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  .THE  MYSTERIES 

v  , 

of  Bear  River  and  the  brine  springs  of  Promontory, 
they  are  subjected  to  the  condensing  process  of  nature 
in  Grealt  Salt  Lake.  If  there  were  an  underground 
outlet,  a  few  months  discharge,  with  the  constant  re¬ 
ception  of  fresh  water,  would  make  it  as  fresh  as  Utah 
Lake.  Standing  on  the  shore  of  Great  Salt  Lake,  one 
may  observe  the  whole  process  of  nature  in  rain  forma¬ 
tion,  he  may  see  the  mist  from  the  lake  rise  to  a  certain 
height,  then  form  in  light  fleecy  clouds  which  sail  away 
to  the  mountains,  where  they  are  caught  by  projecting 
peaks  and  higher  currents  of  air,  and  forced  into  denser 
masses,  and  at  times  he  may  observe  them  pouring 
upon  the  heights,  the  water  which  will  run  back  and 
mingle  with  the  mass  at  his  feet,  completing  thus  the 
cycle  of  moisture  which  Solomon  remarked  in  the  ex¬ 
actly  similar  phenomena  of  the  Dead  Sea:  “All  the 
rivers  run  into  the  sea,  yet  the  sea  is  not  full;  to  the 
place  whence  they  came,  thither  the  waters  return.” 

The  country  bordering  Great  Salt  Lake  presents  al¬ 
most  every  possible  variety  of  soil,  but  little  or  no 
change  in  climate. 

First  to  the  south  lies  Jordan  Valley,  which  is  gen¬ 
erally  meant  when  the  people  speak  of  Salt  Lake  Val¬ 
ley,  forty  miles  long  by  about '  twelve  in  breadth ;  all 
the  eastern  half  is  valuable  for  agriculture,  and  most 
of  the  western  for  grazing.  Proceeding  northward  a 
strip  of  salt  marsh  and  low  pasture  land,  near  the  Lake, 
is  bounded  on  the  east  by  a  strip  of  fertile  land  from 
one  to  five  miles  wide,  back  of  which  are  considerable 
pastures,  even  some  distance  up  the  mountain  side.  The 
same  is  true  of  Bear  Kiver  Valley  and  the  eastern 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


453 


slope  of  the  Promontory,  the  former  consisting  of  a  fer¬ 
tile  tract  from  ten  to  fifteen  miles  in  width  ;  but  crossing 
Promontory  to  the  west  the  change  is  sudden,  and  we 
find  at  the  northwest  corner  of  the  Lake  a  valley  of  al¬ 
kali  flats  and  salt-beds  of  indescribable  barrenness.  The 
entire  western  shore  is  a  perfect  desert ;  a  salt  and  arid 
waste  of  clay  and  sand,  of  the  consistency  of  mortar  in 
wet  weather  and  a  bed  of  stifling  dust  in  dry ;  not  even 
the  sage  brush  and  greasewood  find  life  in  the  poisonous 
soil,  and  near  the  Lake  thousands  of  acres  lie  glistening 
in  the  sun,  bare  white  with  salt  and  alkali.  Punning 
water  is  found  in  but  one  place,  and  even  the  scant 
springs  are  separated  by  journeys  of  fifty  miles.  It  is 
comfortable  to  reflect  that  a  further  rise  of  five  feet  in 
the  Lake  surface  would  bring  it  upon  this  desert,  with 
an  area  of  seventy  miles  square  to  cover,  and  requiring 
at  least  ten  times  as  much  water  for  a  rise  of  one  foot 
as  it  did  ten  years  ago.  Along  the  shore  the  atmosphere 
is  bluish  and  hazy,  and  Captain  Stansbury  observes 
that  “  it  is  a  labor  to  use  telescopes  for  geodetic  purposes, 
and  astronomical  observations  are  very  imperfect.”  In 
the  body  of  the  Lake  are  several  islands  and  projecting 
rocks,  designated  in  the  order  of  their  size,  as  follows : 

1.  Antelope,  also  called  Church  or  Mormon  Island, 
having  been  appropriated  by  the  corporation  or  Church 
of  Latter-day  Saints,  for  their  stock,  a  sort  of  consecra¬ 
ted  cattle-corraZ  “  for  the  Lord  and  Bro.  Brigham.” 

At  the  nearest  point  it  is  about  twenty  miles  north¬ 
west  of  Salt  Lake  City ;  for  many  years  the  channel 
between  it  and  the  eastern  shore  was  fordable,  and  is 
still  occasionally  ;  it  contains  a  number  of  green  valleys, 
and  some  springs  of  pure  water. 


454  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

In  the  shape  of  an  irregular  diamond,  with  a  sharp 
western  projection  from  the  northern  point,  it  is  sixteen 
miles  long  with  an  extreme  width  of  seven  miles ;  it 
contains  many  ridges  and  detached  peaks,  the  highest 
3,000  feet  above  the  lake,  and  consequently  7,200  above 
sea-level.  Near  the  northeastern  coast  is  a  rock  called 
Egg  Island,  and  on  the  most  eastern  cliff,  “  they  say  ” 
there  is  a  cave,  with  remarkable  blue  grottoes,  of  which 
“  monstrous  stories  ”  have  been  told. 

2.  Stansbury  Island  is  the  second  largest  in  the  Lake, 
lying  southwest  of  Antelope,  near  the  western  shore, 
with  which  it  is  connected  at  rare  intervals  of  low 
water  by  a  sand-spit.  It  is  about  half  the  size  of  Ante¬ 
lope  Island,  and  consists  of  a  single  ridge,  twelve  miles 
in  length,  and  rising  three  thousand  feet  above  the 
lake.  It  is  of  some  use  for  grazing  purposes,  and  is 
frequented  by  ducks,  geese,  plover,  gulls  and  pelicans. 

3.  Carrington  Island,  so  named  from  the  Mormon 
engineer,  Albert  Carrington,  who  assisted  Captain  Stans¬ 
bury  in  his  survey,  is  an  irregular  circle  with  a  single 
central  peak ;  it  contains  no  springs,  but  abounds  in  a 
great  variety  of  plants  and  flowers.  It  lies  a  little 
northwest  of  Stansbury,  and  west  of  the  north  point  of 
Antelope  Island,  near  the  western  shore. 

4.  Fremont  Island  lies  between  Antelope  and  Prom¬ 
ontory  Point,'  nearer  the  last,  and  just  below  the  point 
where  Bear  River  Bay  opens  into  the  central  part  of 
the  lake.  It  is  shaped  somewhat  like  a  half  moon — 
abounds  in  plants,  particularly  the  wild  onion,  but  is 
destitute  of  wood  and  water.  Colonel  Fremont  named 
it  Disappointment  Island,  having  been  led  to  believe, 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


455 


before  visiting  it,  that  it  abounded  in  “  trees  and  shrub¬ 
bery,  teeming  with  game  of  every  description ;  ”  Stans- 
bury  gave  its  present  name,  and  it  is  sometimes  locally 
known  as  “  Castle  Island,”  suggested  probably  by  the 
turreted  formation  of  its  principal  peak. 

5.  Dolphin  Island  lies  far  up  towards  the  northwest¬ 
ern  corner,  a  mere  rocky  knoll. 

6.  Hat  Island,  southeast  of  Gunnison,  and  another 
small  island  in  the  vicinity  are  probably  part  of  the  same 
reef.  The  deepest  sounding  in  the  Lake,  forty  feet,  is 
found  between  Stansbury  and  Antelope  Islands.  The  lat¬ 
ter  is  also  rich  in  minerals,  marble  of  the  finest  quality  and 
roofing  slate,  being  readily  obtained  in  large  quantities. 
Boats  could  run  directly  alongside  of  the  quarries  and 
load  with  the  greatest  convenience.  A  considerable 
boating  interest  will  yet  be  built  up  on  the  Lake,  in 
which  these  islands  will  play  an  important  part.  On  the 
eastern  shores  of  the  Lake  are  cultivated  farms,  populous 
towns,  mines  of  all  valuable  metals ;  on  the  island  are 
valuable  tracts  for  pasturage,  and  at  the  foot  of  the  sur¬ 
rounding  mountains  are  medicinal  springs,  hot  and  cold, 
sulphur,  iron  and  soda.  The  summer  air  of  the  Lake 
is  light,  saline  and  health-inspiring ;  the  scenery  un¬ 
surpassed,  and  abounding  in  views  of  memorable  beauty. 
The  romance  of  this  Mare  Mortuum  has  survived  the 
investigations  of  science,  and  from  a  region  of  miscon¬ 
ception  and  fable,  the  vicinity  of  the  Great  bait  Lake 
has  become  the  Switzerland  of  America. 

Besides  the  noted  “  Dead  Sea,”  the  Great  Basin  is 
well  provided  with  lakes,  such  as  they  are,  of  which 
those  in  Utah  constitute  an  irregular  chain  from  north 
to  south. 


456  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

Bear  Lake,  a  mere  “  tarn  ”  among  the  mountains, 
extending  from  Cache  Valley  into  Idaho,  is  chiefly 

notable  as  the  home  of  the  “  Bear  Lake  Monster,”  a 

• 

nondescript  with  a  body  half  seal,  half  serpent,  and  a 
head  somewhat  like  a  sea  lion,  which  has  often  been 
seen  and  described  by  Indians  and  Mormons,  but  never 
by  white  Christians,  that  I  have  heard  of.  It  has 
never  been  properly  classified  or  named,  as  it  is  invisi¬ 
ble  when  scientific  observers  are  at  hand,  but  from  the 
descriptions  current  among  the  latter-day  Philosophers, 
I  judge  it  to  be  a  relic  of  that  extinct  species  generally 
denominated  the  “  Ginasticutis.” 

The  Sweetwater  reservoir,  Utah  Lake,  is  fed  by  large 
streams  from  the  western  slopes  of  the  Uintah  range, 
its  circumference,  exclusive  of  offsets,  being  estimated 
at  eighty  miles.  This  singular  analogue  of  the  Sea  of 
Galilee  receives  the  waters  from  the  southern  moun¬ 
tains,  containing  a  few  grains  of  salt  to  the  gallon,  and 
after  furnishing  space  for  considerable  evaporation,  dis¬ 
charges  them  by  way  of  Jordan  into  Great  Salt  Lake. 
Sevier,  Preuss,  Nicollet,  and  Little  Salt  Lake  in  like 
manner  receive  and  furnish  “  sinks  ”  for  the  waters 
from  the  Iron  Mountain  range,  and  the  southern  branch 
of  the  Wasatch,  none  of  these  lakes  communicating 
with  any  other,  but  each  dependent  on  a  distinct  water 
system.  Only  the  larger  streams  form  lakes,  the 
smaller  are  either  evaporated  or  sink  in  ponds  and 
puddles  of  black  mire ;  the  waters  in  places  reappear 
or  pass  underground  to  feed  the  larger  lakes. 

The  deserts  of  Utah  consist  of  alkali  flats,  barren 
sand  or  red  earth,  resulting,  in  most  instances,  merely 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


457 


from  the  lack  of  water,  for  where  this  can  be  supplied 
in  sufficient  abundance,  the  alkali  is,  in  no  long  time, 
washed  away ;  and  many  of  the  sandy  districts,  once 
thought  to  be  irreclaimably  barren,  have  been  proved 
quite  fertile  by  irrigation.  It  is  quite  evident,  also, 
that  a  change  has  been  going  on  for  many  years,  re¬ 
claiming  large  tracts  in  the  vicinity  of  the  mountains. 
Tracts,  entirely  barren  a  score  of  years  ago,  after  re¬ 
ceiving  the  wash  of  higher  lands,  present  a  scant  growth 
of  grease- wood,  which  is  succeeded  in  time  by  whitesage 
brush,  and  that  in  turn  by  the  ranker  growth  of  blue 
sage-brush,  each  step  marking  an  increase  of  fertility  in 
the  soil.  Large  tracts  are  found  entirely  barren  of  vege¬ 
tation,  others  that  have  advanced  to  the  grease-wood 
stage,  still  others  to  the  growth  of  sage-brush.  In  many 
places  the  transition  is  evident,  and  from  the  testimony 
of  early  explorers,  certain  tracts  have  completed  the 
entire  circuit  of  increasing  fertility  within  the  memory 
of  man. 

Utah  is  in  the  parallel  of  the  Mediterranean,  but  the 
elevation  renders  it  more  bleak,  though  not  liable  to 
sudden  vicissitudes  of  temperature ;  the  changes  in  any 
one  winter  are  quite  moderate,  but  the  difference  be¬ 
tween  successive  winters  is  often  much  greater  than  in 
any  other  part  of  the  United  States.  Cattle  have  been 
wintered  in  Cache  Valley,  Ogden  Hole,  and  other  sec¬ 
tions,  entirely  upon  the  range  and  without  shelter ;  on 
the  other  hand,  there  have  been  winters  in  which  all 
,  the  settlements  were  isolated,  when  snow  fell  almost 
every  day,  with  a  high  westerly  wind,  sometimes  so 
high  that  spray  was  carried  from  the  lake  into  the  city. 


458  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

V 

The  first  two  winters  the  Mormons  spent  in  the  val¬ 
ley  were  unusually  mild,  cattle  living  along  the  streams 
without  feed;  the  third  winter,  and  that  of  1854-55, 
were  exceedingly  harsh,  and  the  people  being  unused 
to  make  provisions  therefor,  many  hundred  cattle  per¬ 
ished  in  the  snow. 

Twenty  years  ago,  rain  very  seldom  fell  between  May 
and  October;  in  1860  it  continued  quite  showery,  even 
to  the  first  of  July,  and,  at  present,  some  rain  may  be 
counted  on  with  certainty  every  month  in  the  season. 
The  change  is  attributed  by  one  class  of  philosophers 
to  a  gradual  change  of  the  rain  zones ;  by  the  Mormons 
to  their  prayers  and  piety,  and  the  favor  of  Heaven,  but 
is  probably  due  to  cultivation  and  planting.  The  same 
phenomenon  is  observed  in  western  Nebraska  and 
Kansas,  and  in  upper  Egypt.  The  Indians  say,  “  the 
pale  face  brings  his  rain  with  him.”  The  summer,  as 
marked  by  the  thermometer,  is  hot,  but  the  great  eleva¬ 
tion,  the  lightness  and  dryness  of  the  air,  the  cool  winds 
from  the  canons  and  the  complete  absence  of  malaria, 
render  it  delightful  and  wholesome. 

At  the  north  end  of  the  lake  they  have  the  sea- 
breeze,  the  mountain  air  and  the  refreshing  zephyrs 
from  the*  plains.  During  the  last  summer  the  ther¬ 
mometer  usually  rose  eight  or  ten  degrees  from  sun-rise 
till  noon ;  the  greatest  mid-day  heat  was  not  oppressive, 
and  the  mornings  and  evenings,  cooled  by  the  moun¬ 
tain  airs,  were  deliciously  soft  and  pure. 

The  most  disagreeable  feature  of  this  section  is  the 
dust-storms  and  thunder-storms,  which,  during  the  last 
season,  though  not  frequent,  were  severe.  Showers 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


459 


are  expected  when  the  clouds  come  from  the  west  and 
soutlnvest ;  from  the  east  they  will  cling  to  the  hills. 
Cultivation  and  irrigation  giving  greater  facilities  for 
evaporation,  the  process  of  nature  in  the  cycle  of  mois¬ 
ture  is  quickened,  the  particles  of  water  make  the 
circuit  oftener,  and  more  frequent  showers  are  the  re¬ 
sult.  It  is  evident  this  climate  of  cool,  dry  air  in  the 
winter,  moderate  dryness  and  extreme  tenuity  in  the 
summer,  and  stimulating  rarity  at  all  seasons,  is  suited 
to  all  healthy  and  most  sickly  constitutions.  Paralysis  is 
rare,  consumption  almost  unknown — the  climate  lacks 
that  humidity  which  develops  the  predisposition — 
asthma  and  phthisis  meet  with  immediate  relief,  and 
from  my  personal  experience,  it  is  evident  the  air  tends 
to  expand,  strengthen  and  give  tonic  force  to  the  lungs. 
But  rheumatism  and  neuralgia  are  by  no  means  uncom¬ 
mon  ;  as  in  other  bracing  climates,  they  effect  the  poor, 
and  those  from  any  cause,  insufficiently  fed,  housed  or 
clothed  during  the  winter.  For  all  who  would  avoid 
humidity,  either  in  soil  or  air;  who  seek  relief  from 
pulmonary  diseases  or  dyspepsia,  the  climate  is  unsur¬ 
passed  ;  but  for  inflammatory  diseases  the  good  effects 
of  this  climate  are  still  open  to  debate. 


460 


LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

% 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

MATERIAL  RESOURCES  OF  UTAH. 

Amount  of  arable  land — Its  nature  and  location — Increased  rainfall — Causes 
— Probable  greater  increase— Mode  of  irrigation — Aquarian  Socialism — 
No  room  for  competition — Alkali — Some  advantages — Yield  of  various 
crops— “  Beet-sugar  ” — Sorghum  syrup— Mormon  improvements  (?  ) 
— Grossly  exaggerated — True  Wealth  of  Utah — Mining  and  grazing — 
Bunch-grass — Mountain  pastures — Sheep  and  goats — “Fur,  fin  and 
feather” — Trapping  and  hunting — Carnivora — Ruminants — Buffalo — 
None  in  the  Basin — Shoshonee  tradition — Game,  fowl — Amphibia — • 
“Sandy  toad” — Serpents — Fish — Oysters  in  Salt  Lake — Insects — 
“Mormon  bedbugs” — Advantages  from  the  dry  air — Insectivora — 
Crickets — Grasshoppers  or  locusts  ? — Indians  of  Utah — Rapid  extinction 
— “  Diggers  ” — “  Club-men” — Utes — Shoshonees  -Tlieir  origin— Mor¬ 
mon  theory — Scientific  theory— Chinese  annals — Tartans  in  America — 
Mormon  settlers — Twenty-three  years  of  “gathering” — Much  work, 
slow  progress — Reasons — Inherent  weakness  of  the  system — Great 
apostasy — Their  present  number — Exaggeration — Enumeration  of  set¬ 
tlements  and  population — Nationality — Total  military  force — Future 
of  the  Territory. 

Of  the  entire  area  of  the  Great  Basin,  probably  one 
half  is  a  complete  desert  to  begin  with ;  one-third  ds 
of  value  for  grazing  purposes,  and  the  remaining  one- 
sixth  agricultural  land. 

Most  of  the  complete  desert  is  in  Nevada,  and  at 
least  three-fourths  of  the  fertile  land  in  Utah.  In  the 
entire  basin  are  numbered  thirty-five  considerable  val¬ 
leys  containing  cultivable  land,  of  great,  or  at  least 
average  fertility,  of  which  the  best  known  are  the 
J ordan  or  Salt  Lake,  Bear  River,  Sevier,  Cache  Tovelle, 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


461 


Ruby,  Malad  Carson,  and  Humboldt  Valleys.  Of  these, 
all  those  in  Utah  are  fully  occupied  by  the  Mormons, 
except  Bear  River,  on  which  they  have  but  a  few  set¬ 
tlements,  and  those  along  the  mountains  eastward. 
The  entire  basin  thus  contains  about  as  much  good 
land  as  the  State  of  Indiana,  and  three  or  four  times 
as  much  of  little  or  no  value. 

Even  the  most  fertile  valleys  contain  occasional 
desert  tracts,  generally  of  small  extent,  of  which  tracts, 
Bear  River  and  Cache  Valleys  contain  the  least.  The 
Sevier  Valley  is  peculiar  in  its  features;  the  fertile 
tracts  are  apparently  richer  than  in  the  more  northern 
valleys,  but  the  deserts  much  more  barren  and  desolate 
in  appearance ;  the  traveler,  in  places,  traversing  an 
arid  waste  five  or  ten  miles  in  width,  the  bare,  gray 
sand  unrelieved  even  by  white  sage-brush,  and  then  at 
a  sudden  turn  of  the  road  into  a  mountain  cove,  or  a 
depression  in  the  land,  finding  a  few  thousand  acres  of 
beauty  and  fertility. 

Towards  the  upper  part  of  its  course,  that  valley 
presents  a  rare  picture  of  romantic  beauty.  Wood  and 
water  are  abundant,  game  plenty,  and  the  soil  very  rich 
along  the  foot  of  the  mountains.  The  agricultural 
system  of  Utah  would  present  many  novel  features  to 
an  eastern  farmer,  and  at  first  view  the  difficulties  would 
seem  to  him  insurmountable. 

The  most  marked  feature  of  the  interior  plains  is 
the  scarcity  of  timber ;  for,  with  the  exception  of  a  few 
scant  willows  along  two  or  three  of  the  streams,  the 
whole  valley  of  Salt  Lake  was  originally  as  bare  of 
trees  as  if  blasted  by  the  breath  of  a  volcano. 


462 


LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

The  nearest  timber  to  Salt  Lake  City,  fit  for  fuel,  is 
fifteen  miles  distant,  and  that  up  City  Creek  Canon, 
which  belongs  to  Brigham  Young,  by  act  of  Territorial 
Legislature  ;  and  he  requires  every  third  load  to  be  left 
at  his  corral.  So,  most  of  the  fuel  used  in  the  city 
comes  from  canons  twenty  or  twenty-five  miles  distant, 
and  ranges  from  twelve  to  thirty  dollars  per  cord. 

This  evil  has  been  greatly  increased  by  their  strip¬ 
ping  the  heights  more  bare  every  year,  and  many 
conjecture  that  this  prevents  the  former  heavy  ac¬ 
cumulations  of  snow,  which,  in  turn,  blows  into  the 
valley  worse  each  winter,  and  may  in  time  even  lessen 
the  source  of  the  streams,  which  are  chiefly  supplied 
by  the  melting  snow. 

Planting  trees,  except  in  orchards  or  along  the  streets, 
has  been  entirely  neglected.  Unlike  the  farmers  of 
Iowa  and  Nebraska,  who  purpose  to  grow  their  own 
fire-wood,  there  is,  not  to  my  knowledge,  an  artificial 
grove  in  the  entire  valley. 

True,  the  trees  would  require  occasional  irrigation, 
but  with  the  facilities  afforded  by  the  many  little  streams 
crossing  the  “  bench,”  one  man  could  easily  attend  to 
several  thousand  acres,  and  though  his  returns  would 
be  slow,  they  would  in  time  be  ample.  The  suggestion 
may  sometime  be  found  practicable. 

The  second  drawback  is  want  of  water,  or  rather  of 
rain,  for  there  is  plenty  of  the  article  in  streams  which 
are  the  source  of  supply. 

At  the  first  settlement  of  Utah  there  were  periods  of 
five  or  six  months  without  rain,  but  of  late  years  there 
has  been  a  great  change  in  that  respect,  and  last  sum- 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


463 


mer  rains  were  so  frequent  along  the  streams  that  many 
tracts  required  no  irrigation  at  all.  This  is  probably 
due  to  the  same  cause  as  the  similai  phenomenon  in 
other  places ;  but  the  change  has  probably  been  greater 
here,  as  irrigation,  distributing  the  water  so  generally 
over  the  land  in  ditches  and  through  fields,  has  presen¬ 
ted  a  greater  scope  for  solar  evaporation,  the  great 
right  hand  of  “  cloud-compelling  Jove.” 

This  has  increased  the  fall  of  rain,  which  must,  in 
turn,  add  to  the  productive  force  of  nature,  till  in  time 
irrigation  will  be  needless  for  the  small  grains  and 
cereals. 

Under  the  present  system,  each  settlement  becomes  a 
sort  of  “  socialistic  community  ”  as  to  its  water  supply. 
Enough  of  families  must  make  a  settlement  together  in 
some  convenient  valley,  to  construct  a  dam  further  up 
the  canon,  from  which  reservoir  a  main  canal  is  carried 
through  the  settlement,  and  from  this  side  canals  and 
ditches  convey  the  water  among  the  farms,  and  thence 
into  fields,  and  by  tiny  rivulets  between  the  rows  of 
vegetation. 

The  various  crops  are  watered  from  one  to  three 
times  per  week,  according  to  their  nature,  during  the 
dry  season.  The  greatest  labor  is  in  establishing  a  set¬ 
tlement,  and  opening  these  sources  of  public  supply,  but 
thereafter,  the  whole  settlement  turns  out  each  spring, 
at  the  call  of  the  Water-Marshal,  and  a  few  days’  work 
gets  all  in  order. 

Hence  the  settlement  must  move  as  a  unit  in  this 
case,  and  every  man  claims  a  supply  of  water  according 
to  the  money  or  labor  contributed  to  the  first  construc¬ 
tion. 


464  LIFE  IN  UTAH  ;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

For  many  years,  in  certain  settlements,  the  Water- 
Marshal  turned  the  supply  to  different  districts  at  dif¬ 
ferent  hours,  and  the  proprietors  in  each  district  further 
divided  the  time  when  each  might  take  water ;  day  and 
night  during  the  dry  season,  being  devoted  to  the  work. 
In  some  settlements,  and  in  the  city,  fines  as  high  as 
sixty  dollars  were  imposed  for  “  stealing  water,”  that  is, 
for  turning  it  on  one’s  fields  out  of  the  prescribed  time. 
But  with  the  increase  of  rain  and  heavy  dews  which 
now  water  “  the  garden  of  the  Lord  and  modern  Zion,” 
this  aquatic  penuriousness  has  ceased  to  be  necessary, 
and  there  are  but  few  if  any  localities  where  one  may 
not  “  take  water  ”  at  any  hour. 

The  great  expense  is  in  getting  the  system  started ; 
after  that  it  need  not  be  as  great  as  the  losses  attendant 
on  waiting  for  rain  in  other  regions,  or  having  too  much 
of  it  at  a  time.  Herein  also  is  an  important  politico- 
religious  feature  of  the  system ;  no  Gentile  can  start  in 
with  a  new  settlement,  formed  as  it  is  by  a  “  call  ”  from* 
the  Church  authorities,  and  he  cannot  of  course  go  it 
alone.  Gentiles  could  only  settle  by  entire  neighbor¬ 
hoods  together,  or  in  some  place  buy  out  a  Saint  whose 
water-rights  are  already  established,  and  run  with  the 
land.  For  these  and  other  reasons,  one  rarely  meets 
with  a  Gentile  outside  of  the  towns. 

Alkali  is  another  enemy  of  the  Utah  farmer.  A 
*  moderate  infusion  is  thought  to  be  an  advantage,  but 
in  many  places  it  is  so  thick  as  to  “  flower  out  ”  like  a 
heavy  frost  or  light  snow  on  the  surface ;  there  it  is 
fatal  to  most  crops,  and  many  think  it  will  not  yield  to 
the  longest  continued  cultivation.  Some  crops  will 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


465 


flourish,  where  it  is  abundant,  others  are  ruined  by  the 
slightest  sprinkle.  The  common  pie-plant  entirely 
loses  its  acidity,  and  the  sorghum  cane  is  completely 
“  alkalied.” 

But  the  principle  of  compensation  in  nature  applies 
even  here,  and  the  Utah  farmer  has  some  marked  ad¬ 
vantages.  There  are  neither  droughts  nor  freshets — 
both  considerable  items  to  an  Illinois  farmer ;  the  latter 
are  unknown,  and  the  former  of  no  consequence  in  the 
practice  of  irrigation.  In  the  summer  of  1866,  there 
occurred  a  furious  wind  and  rain  storm  in  the  locality 
of  the  writer’s  residence  in  the  States,  which  destroyed 
corn,  wheat,  and  fruit,  to  the  value  of  fifty  thousand 
dollars  in  one  township.  This  amount  would  have  ir¬ 
rigated  for  many  years,  a  tract  in  Utah  as  large  as  that 
township. 

Wheat  for  many  seasons  has  required  but  one  or 
two  waterings,  and  in  1867  the  average  yield,  accord¬ 
ing  to  Mormon  statistics,  was  seventeen  bushels  per 
acre.  With  flour  at  eighteen  dollars  per  barrel,  and 
last  year  it  was  sometimes  above  that,  this  would  pay 
well  for  irrigation.  ' 

Barley  and  potatoes  yield  very  heavily,  and  have* 
heretofore  sold  at  enormous  prices.  But  the  last  year 
there  has  been  a  great  decline  in  prices.  The  land  pro¬ 
duces  all  the  small'  grains,  especially  wheat,  oats  andl 
barley,  in  great  abundance;  a  little  Indian  corn  is* 
raised,  but  the  climate  is  not  favorable  ;  nearly  all  the 
fruits  and  vegetables  of  the  temperate  zone,  pumpkins,, 
beets  and  carrots — in  Gentile  slang,  “  Mormon  currency”’ 
— in  great  size  and  plenty.  Peaches  of  fine  flavor,  and* 
30 


466  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

V 

in  great  quantity,  are  grown  in  almost  every  valley. 
Salt  Lake  Valley  and  the  lower  tracts  adjacent  being  most 
favorable.  But  I  do  not  fully  appreciate  the  apples  of 
Salt  Lake  ;  they  seem  insipid,  stunted  in  some  places  and 
overgrown  in  others,  and  decidedly  “  pithy.”  The  lower 
part  of  Bear  River  Valley  and  the  slopes  leading 
thereto,  have  all  the  natural  indications  for  one  of  the 
finest  fruit  countries  dn  the  world,  the  easy  changes 
of  the  winter  and  spring  being  peculiarly  favorable. 

Beets  and  onions  grow  to  an  unusual  size,  which  sug¬ 
gested,  in  1853,  the  idea  of  making  beet  sugar.  The 
“  inspired  priesthood,”  headed  by  “  Brother  Brigham,” 
entered  into  the  matter  with  zeal ;  one  hundred  thou¬ 
sand  dollars  were  expended  upon  the  building  and 
machinery,  but  the  Lord  must  have  “  spoken  to  the 
Prophet  with  an  uncertain  voice ;”  for  the  experiment 
failed  utterly ;  on  account  of  the  alkali,  the  Mormons 
say ;  for  want  of  good  management,  say  the  perverse 
Gentiles,  who  sometimes  add  that  the  Saints  made  a* 
fiery  article  of  “  Valley  Tan  ”  whiskey  out  of  the  useless 
material.  But  other  sweets  abound;  there  is  great 
profit  in  sorghum,  and  one  farmer  near  Kaysville  reports 
that  last  year  he  made  *  one  hundred  and  five  gallons 
from  one-third  of  an  acre,  and  two  hundred  gallons  per 
acre  throughout  his  field. ,  At  the  low  price  of  one  dol¬ 
lar  per  gallon,  this  will  pay  for  irrigation.  But  cane 
farmers  must  avoid  the  alkali  lands.  Of  farm  improve¬ 
ments  there  is  little  to  be  said.  The  impression  prevails 
quite  generally  that  the  Mormons  are  remarkably  in¬ 
dustrious.  I  have  impartially  endeavored  to  find  the 
^evidence,  but,  with  due  regard  for  others’  opinions,  I 


467 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 

•  * 

fail  to  see  it.  They  have  built  houses,  barns  and  fences, 
but  such  as  they  were  absolutely  forced  to  have  in  order 


MORMON  “IMPROVEMENTS  A  'WILLOW  CORRAL. 

to  live  at  all.  If  there  is  a  single  farm-house  between 
Salt  Lake  City  and  Bear  Biver,  which  shows  an  ad¬ 
vanced  idea  of  architecture,  I  do  not  remember  it. 

If  there  is  any  particular  development  of  taste,  out¬ 
side  a  few  of  the  cities,  any  adornment  which  shows  an 
aspiration  for  the  higher  and  more  beautiful,  or  any  im¬ 
provements  indicating  comprehensive  grasp  and  energy 
of  thought,  I  have  missed  them  in  my  travels.  The 
Mormon  converts  are  drawn  from  the  most  industrious 
races  of  Europe  ;  it  was  impossible  for  even  Mormonism 
to  entirely  spoil  them,  and  they  have  done  nearly  as 
well,  perhaps,  as  any  other  people  would  have  done  under 
the  same  circumstances. 

Compared  with  the  same  races  in  the  Western  States, 
the  Swedes,  Norwegians,  Danes  and  English,  of  Iowa 
or  Minnesota,  the  latter  have  made  as  much  progress  in 
five  years  after  settlement  as  the  Mormons  in  ten  or 


468  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

twenty.  But  on  the  credit  side  of  the  estimate  for  the 
latter,  we  must  set  down  the  fact  of  their  great  distance 
from  civilization,  the  natural  barrenness  of  much  of  their 
country,  the  grasshoppers,  crickets,  wild  beasts  and 
Indians  with  which  they  had  to  contend ;  the  spiritual 
despotism  under  which  they  labor ;  their  poverty  and 
their  ignorance  of  this  mode  of  farming ;  on  the  debit 
side,  the  advantages  from  overland  travel,  and  neigh¬ 
boring  mining  regions,  which  enabled  them  to  obtain 
fabulous  prices  for  their  grain,  the  general  advantages 
of  a  new  country  in  “  fur,  fin  and  feather,”  the  rare 
healthfulness  of  their  climate,  the  unlimited  range  for 
stock  and  the  benefits  of  unity  in  their  labor  system. 

The  wonder  is  that  they  settled  there  at  all ;  having 
settled  there  they,  have  done  less  in  the  way  of  im¬ 
provement  than  their  countrymen  in  other  sections  in 
half  the  time. 

But  the  true  wealth  of  the  Territory  is  in  grazing 
and  mining.  The  range  is  practically  unlimited  and 
the  mountain  bunch-grass  is  the  best  in  the  world  for 
cattle.  This  valuable  and  rather  anomalous  provision 
of  nature  seems  to  be  indigenous  to  the  interior  plains 
of  the  Rocky  Mountains.  It  is  first  found,  I  believe, 
on  the  western  slope  of  the  Black  Hills,  and  extends  to 
the  eastern  slope  *of  the  Sierra  Nevadas.  West  of  that 
boundary  it  gives  place  to  other  seeded  grasses  of  the 
Pacific  slope,  and  to  the  “  wild  oats  ”  of  California, 
which  are  supposed  to  have  been  introduced  by  the 
Spaniards.  Millions  of  acres  are  rendered  valuable  by 
the  presence  of  bunch-grass,  which,  without  it,  could 
hardly  be  traversed  by  cattle. .  As  the  name  indicates 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


469 


it  grows  in  clumps,  and  to  an  eastern  eye  would  appear 
as  if  it  sought  the  most  barren  spots,  flourishing  even 
upon  slopes  of  sandy  and  stony  hills.  Like  winter 
wheat  it  remains  green  and  juicy  under  the  snow;  it 
usually  commences  growing  in  February  or  March,  and 
continues  till  May  or  June,  when  it  dries  up  and  ap¬ 
pears  to  die,  but  in  the  form  of  a  light  straw  contains 
abundant  nutriment.  In  places,  during  autumn  and 
after  shedding  the  seed,  it  puts  forth  a  green  shoot, 
apparently  within  the  old  withered  stalk;  with  the 
advance  of  summer  the  best  is  found  higher  up  the 
mountains,  and  it  thus  furnishes  food  the  year  round. 

It  yields  a  small  pyriform  seed,  which  is  greedily  de¬ 
voured  by  cattle,  and  has  remarkable  fattening  proper¬ 
ties,  giving  an  excellent  flavor  to  the  beef.  It  is  often 
a  subject  of  remark,  how  little  food  will  fatten  cattle 
upon  the  elevated  prairies,  and  interior  plateaus  of  the 
West;  the  exceeding  purity,  dryness  and  rarity  of  the 
air,  by  perfecting  the  processes  of  digestion  and  assimi¬ 
lation,  no  doubt  accounts  for  this. 

The  same  has  been  observed  of  the  highlands  of 
Central  Asia.  From  the  same  causes  cattle  endure  a 
greater  degree  of  cold  without  shelter,  and  the  plains 
can  be  made  to  produce  abundant  forage  for  winter. 
The  finest,  juciest,  tenderest  steaks  of  home  growth, 
appear  daily  upon  the  tables  of  the  Utah  publicans,  and 
there  is  scarcely  a  limit  to  the  possible  supply.  By 
greater  improvement  in  irrigation,  and  by  the  increase 
of  rain,  Utah  will  in  time  have  great  agricultural  wealth, 
but  stock  raising  will  be  her  best  paying  interest. 

Facilities  for  grazing  are  practically  unbounded,  the 


470  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

valleys  supply  plentiful  pasturage  in  winter,  and  as 
spring  advances  and  the  snow  line  recedes  up  the  hills, 
cattle  will  find  fresh  pastures. 

In  the  valleys  of  Green,  Grand  and  Colorado  rivers, 
are  many  thousand  square  miles  of  the  finest  country 
in  the  world  for  wool  growing ;  on  all  the  mountain 
slopes  west  of  Bear  River  grass  grows  luxuriantly,  and 
the  higher  portions  of  Sevier  V alley  contain  millions  of 
acres  of  grazing  land,  the  natural  home  of  the  Merino 
sheep  and  Cashmere  goat ;  the  climate  and  elevation  are 
exactly  suitable  for  the  production  of  the  finest  wools; 
all  the  facilities  for  manufacturing  exist  along  the  lower 
course  of  the  mountain  streams,  and  the  day  will  come 
when  the  finest  of  shawls  and  other  fabrics  will  be  pro¬ 
duced  in  Utah,  rivalling  the  most  famous  productions 
from  the  highlands  of  Persia  and  Hindoos  tan. 

Of  “  fur,  fin  and  feather,”  the  Great  Basin  is  rather 
deficient,  in  an  economical  view.  There  are  minks, 
ermines,  American  badgers,  wolverines,  woodchucks, 
musk-rats,  beavers  and  otters,  the  last  two  rare  in  other 
parts,  but  still  found  in  such  plenty  on  the  upper  tribu¬ 
taries  of  Bear  River,  as  to  make  trapping  profitable. 
The  principal  carnivora  are  the  cougar,  cat-o-mountain, 
large  and  small  wolf,  and  a  variety  of  foxes.  Of  the 
ruminants  we  find  the  antelope,  deer,  elk,  and  Rocky 
Mountain  sheep.  The  buffalo  is  seldom  found  west  of 
Laramie  plains,  not  at  all  in  the  Great  Basin,  though 
the  Indians  have  a  tradition  that  they  were  once  very 
numerous  even  to  the  Sierra  Nevadas,  and  old  hunters 
and  travelers  speak  of  finding  traces  of  their  former 
existence  there.  The  Shoshonees  give  the  following 


9  3  8  6  0 


E 

long 


long 


AH  AW  0 


long 


long 


long 


®  t  >i 


00 

long 


E 

short 


A 

short 


H 

AH 

short 


m! 

AW 

short 


j  »  J,  4  J 


0 

short 


00 

short 


01  ow 


®  y  v  f  7 

U  WOO  YE  H  P 


a  i  a  c  q 


B 


D  CHE  G 


0  ©  P  6  / 


K 


GA  E 


ETH 


THE  S 


6  D 


ESII  ZIIEE 


V  t  9  I  M 


R 


M 


N  NG 


Mormon  Alphabet.  Invented  by  0.  Pratt  and  W.  Phelps 
to  be  used  in  Mormon  Literature. 


r  -r*  \ 


< 


•N*»  '* 

■- 

■  .  .  i  >  I  |  Jrjj  l  ft  '()  9  1 1  $1 1 


I  •  ; 


i 

■ 


>»v  •••  "  /  • 


'  ' 

•  : 


1 


. : . 1  *  * 

4 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


471 


account  of  their  banishment :  When  the  buffaloes 
herded  in  great  numbers  in  these  valleys,  the  crickets 
were  less  in  number  than  now,  but  being  the  weakest 
of  all  the  animals,  they  had  the  ear  of  the  Great  Spirit 
when  oppressed.  The  buffaloes,  in  crowding  to  the 
rivers  to  drink,  trampled  upon  the  crickets  and  did 
not  heed  their  cries,  upon  which  the  latter  complained 
to  the  Great  Spirit,  who  by  a  sweeping  decree  changed 
all  the  buffaloes  to  a  small  race  of  crickets,  leaving  no¬ 
thing  of  the  buffalo  but  the  milt !  It  is  a  singular  fact 
that  the  crickets  found  in  the  basin  contain  a  “  milt  ” 
or  spleen ,  exactly  similar  in  shape  to  that  of  the  bovine 
genus. 

Of  game  birds  there  are  several  varieties  :  quail  or 
partridges;  two  varieties  of  grouse,  the  most  common 
called  the  sage-hen ;  the  mallard  duck  is  found  in  great 
plenty  on  the  lower  part  of  Bear  River  and  Jordan, 
and  is  particularly  abundant  on  the  Sevier;  while 
brant,  curlew,  plover  and  wild  geese  are  much  more 
numerous  than  the  appearance  of  the  country  would 
indicate.  Of  useless  animals  and  reptiles  there  are 
quite  enough  to  give  variety  to  animated  nature.  That 
purely  western  American  phenomenon,  half  toad,  half 
lizard,  locally  known  as  the  “  horned  toad  ”  or  “  sandy 
toad,”  scientifically  ranked  Phrynosoma ,  is  found  on  all 
the  high,  dry  plains.  Its  scaly  body  and  inability  to 
jump  prevents  its  ranking  strictly  among  “  batrachi- 
ans.”  It  is  found  on  the  highest  and  driest  ridges,  is 
calloused  on  the  belly  like  an  alligator,  its  back  is 
thickly  studded  with  horny  points  about  a  quarter  of  an 
inch  in  length,  it  has  legs  like  a  common  toad,  but  runs 
swiftly  like  a  lizard. 


472  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

Of  serpents,  there  are  rattlesnakes,  water  snakes  and 
swamp  adders,  and  a  few  others,  all  very  rare.  The 
fishes  are  perch,  pike,  bass,  chub,  mountain  trout,  and 
a  species  of  salmon  trout,  of  which  thirty-pound  speci¬ 
mens  have  been  caught.  There  are  very  few  molluscs, 
periwinkles  or  snails.  There  has  been  much  discussion 
of  a  project  to  plant  oysters  in  Salt  Lake  at  the  various 
river  mouths,  but  the  scheme  seems  to  have  been  aban¬ 
doned.  Probably  it  would  not  succeed,  from  the  ex¬ 
treme  density  of  the  lake  water,  which  is  often  driven 
some  distance  up  the  rivers  by  high  winds. 

In  view  of  the  desirableness  of  any  country  as  a  place 
of  residence,  the  entomology  is  no  inconsiderable  item. 
Utah,  in  regard  to  insect  life,  is  subject  to  great  extremes. 
On  entering  the  Territory  from  the  east,  the  visitors 
first  impression  would  be  that  both  animal  and  insect  life 
were  rare.  On  the  road  from  Green  River  to  Salt  Lake 
City,  particularly  in  the  early  part  of  the  season,  there 
&re  few  stock  flies,  few  scavengers  and  few  large  birds ; 
troublesome  insects  are  rare,  even  in  the  valleys,  and 
unknown  on  the  upland  desert ;  but  in  other  localities 
there  is  a  surplus,  and  after  longer  residence  one  finds 
enough  of  them  to  be  troublesome. 

In  Salt  Lake  City  the  flies  are  probably  worse,  both 
as  to  number  and  peculiarities,  than  in  any  other  city 
in  America,  but  fortunately  their  time  is  very  short. 
During  the  spring  and  early  summer  they  are  rarely 
seen ;  in  August  they  begin  to  multiply,  “  coming  in 
with  the  emigration,”  according  to  local  phrase,  mean¬ 
ing  the  Mormon  emigrants,  who  formerly  completed  the 
journey  across  the  plains  by  the  latter  part  of  July. 


AND  CHIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


473 


From  the  middle  of  August  till  cool  weather  they  are 
perfectly  fearful,  certainly  much  worse  than  they  need 
be  if  proper  cleanliness  were  practised ;  large,  flat-headed, 
light* winged  and  awkward,  they  light  and  crawl  over  the 
person  in  the  most  annoying  manner,  not  yielding,  like 
“  Gentile  flies,”  to  a  light  brush  or  switch,  but  requiring 
literally  to  be  swept  off.  No  other  part  of  the  Territory 
I  have  visited,  is  half  so  bad  in  this  respect  as  Salt 
Lake  City,  and  the  southern  valleys  seem  peculiarly 
free  from  this  pest. 

Fleas  are,  in  western  phrase,  “  tolerable  bad,”  but 
bed  bugs  are  intolerable;  both  in  numbers  and  voracity 
those  of  Utah  beat  the  world,  particularly  in  the  coun¬ 
try  towns,  and  among  the  poorer  classes  of  foreign-born 
Mormons.  In  certain  settlements  their  ravage  is  incred¬ 
ible,  and  Mormon  bed-bugs  seem  as  much  worse  than 
others  as  their  human  companions.  Like  the  latter, 
too,  they  seem  to  regard  the  Gentile  as  fair  prey.  More 
than  once,  in  some  secluded  valley,  has  the  writer  re¬ 
tired  to  rest  (intentionally)  with  reckless  confidence, 
and  after  an  hour  of  fierce  resolution  to  hold  out 
against  any  amount  of  blood  letting,  has  risen  from  his 
couch  with  a  full  appreciation  of  Byron’s  beautiful  line  : 

“No  sleep  till  morn — ” 

I  have  given  the  worst  side  of  affairs  first,  and  in 
other  respects  the  resident  is  rather  free  from  annoy¬ 
ance.  Mosquitoes  are  bad  in  very  few  places ;  three- 
fourths  of  the  country  is  entirely  *  exempt,  lacking 
humidity  enough  to  produce  them.  With  stock  flies 
the  case  is  much  the  same ;  in  places  along  Bear  River, 


'474  LIFE  m  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

V 

and  other  streams  where  the  current  is  sluggish  they 
are  troublesome,  though  such  places  are  rare.  In  places 
around  the  Lake  gnats  are  troublesome,  and  Captain 
Stansbury  speaks  of  encountering  on  the  western  shore 
dense  swarms  of  small  black  flies,  of  which  he  says : 
“  An  incredible  number  perfectly  covered  the  white 
sand  near  the  shore,  changing  its  color  completely — a 
fact  only  revealed  as  the  swarms  rose  upon  being  dis¬ 
turbed  by  our  footsteps.  They,  too,  had  apparently  been 
driven  in  by  the  storm;  for  I  afterwards  discovered 
that  they  were  as  thick  upon  the  water  as  the  land, 
moving  over  its  surface  with  great  ease  and  swiftness. 
In  the  shallows  left  by  the  receding  waters,  I  noticed 
also  quite  a  number  of  ants  (the  first  I  had  seen) 
drowned  seemingly  by  the  over-flow.  Both  of  these 
insects  furnished  food  for  the  gulls  and  snipes,  which 
are  almost  the  only  birds  found  along  this  shore. 
Across  the  little  bay  ran  .a  broad  streak  of  froth  4or 
foam,  formed  by  the  meeting  of  counter  currents,  and 
driven  in  by  the  wind.  Passing  through  it  I  found  it 
filled  with  the  small  black  flies,  in  the  midst  of  which 
were  flocks  of  gulls,  floating  upon  the  water  and  in¬ 
dustriously  engaged  in. picking  them  up,  precisely  as  a 
chicken  would  pick  up  grains  of  corn,  and  with  the 
same  rapidity  of  motion.” 

With  the  exceptions  noted,  the  whole  of  Utah  is  re¬ 
markably  free  from  insects ;  there  are  few,  if  any,  of 
the  thousand  varieties  of  wood-borers,  aphides ,  tere- 
brce,  curculio,  weevil,  wheat-fly,  and  the  numberless  in¬ 
sects  that  infest  the  grass  and  the  bark  of  trees  in  lower 
altidudes  i  they  are  either  totally  wanting,  or  found  so 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


475 


seldom  as  to  be  innoxious.  In  consequence  there  are 
very  few  birds  of  the  insect-eating  .kinds,  and  no  par¬ 
ticularly  dangerous  reptiles.  Of  insects  destructive  to 
vegetation  the  cricket  was  once  very  troublesome,  but 
ceased  to  be  so  at  least  ten  years  ago,  though  the  grass¬ 
hopper  still  makes  occasional  visits,  as  in  all  the  Terri¬ 
tories.  The  question  has  been  raised  in  Utah,  whether 
this  insect,  locally  known  as  grasshopper  is  not  really  a 
locust — perhaps  the  locust  mentioned  in  Scripture.  But 
an  examination  shows  it  to  be  congeneric  with  the  in¬ 
sect  scientifically  designated  the  oedipoda  migratoria, 
which  is  certainly  of  the  grasshopper  species,  though 
known  in  the  East  by  the  English  name  of  “  migratory 
locust.” 

The  grasshopper  of  Utah  is  not  so  long  and  thin, 
light-bodied  and  “  clipper  built”  as  that  of  Nebraska 
and  Kansas,  but  fully  as  destructive  to  vegetation; 
though  of  late  years  its  ravages  have  been  confined  to 
certain  limited  localities.  Though  numerous  enough  in 
Salt  Lake  City  the  past  season  to  constitute  a  “visita¬ 
tion,”  they  did  very  little  damage — “poisoning  the  skin 
of  apples”  to  a  slight  extent. 

From  grasshoppers  to  Indians  may  seem  to  the  East¬ 
ern  mind  an  abrupt  transition ;  but  the  original  in¬ 
habitants  of  Utah  merit  a  brief  notice.  All  the  old 
accounts  represent  the  Indians  of  the  Great  Basin  as 
the  lowest  and  most  degraded  of  their  race,  and  one  is 
surprised  in  the  chronicles  of  only  thirty  years  ago  to 
read  of  tribes,  or  rather  bands  and  parts  of  tribes,  now 
totally  extinct. 

The  “Club-men,”  a  race  of  savage  and  filthy  cannibals 


476  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

V 

were  once  quite  numerous  in  all  the  central  and  western 
valleys,  but  are  now  entirely  extinct ;  and  many  of  the 
races  mentioned  by  M.  Violet,  who  lived  among  the 
Shoshonees  thirty-live  years  ago,  are  no  longer  to  be 
found. 

From  these  and  other  facts,  it  is  very  probable  that 
all  the  Indians  known  as  66 diggers”  were  mere  outcasts 
from  other  tribes,  or  the  remnants  of  more  noble  tribes 
conquered  in  war,  which  had  been  forced  into  the  Basin 
as  a  place  of  refuge. 

Their  tribal  organization  broken  up;  their  former 
hunting  grounds  forbidden  them;  and  themselves  com¬ 
pelled  to  subsist  only  on  the  meanest  and  least  nourish¬ 
ing  fare,  they  degenerated  rapidly  in  morale  and  physique, 
at  the  same  time  that  they  decreased  in  number. 

They  subsisted  chiefly  upon  roots  dug  from  the 
ground,  the  seeds  of  various  plants  indigenous  to  the 
soil,  ground  into  a  kind  of  flour  between  flat  stones; 
and  upon  lizards,  crickets,  and  fish  at  some  seasons  of 
the  year.  Thus  lacking  the  food  which  furnishes 
proper  stimulus  to  the  brain  and  muscles,  each  succeed¬ 
ing  generation  sank  lower  in  the  scale  of  humanity; 
the  generative  powers  declined  under  a  regimen  of 
exposure  and  scant  nourishment;  few  children  were 
born  and  fewer  reared  to  maturity,  and  the  kindness  of 
nature’s  law  forbade  increase  where  life  promised  naught 
but  exposure  and  misery.  Of  such  races  the  numerical 
decline  must  have  been  steady  and  rapid,  and  their 
numbers  only  maintained  by  the  successive  additions 
from  the  superior  races  north  and  east.  A  little  above 
these,  in  the  scale  of  humanity,  are  the  Utes  or  Utahs, 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


477 


inhabiting  nearly  all  the  southern  part  of  the  Great 
Basin,  and  extending  into  Colorado  as  far  as  the  bound¬ 
ary  of  the  Arapahoes,  with  whom  they  are  almost  con¬ 
tinually  at  war.  The  word  Ute  or  Utah  signifies,  in 
their  language,  “man,”  “ dweller/’  or  “ resident,”  and  by 
the  additions  of  other  syllables,  we  have  the  three  grand 
divisions  of  that  race  :  Pi-Utes,  Gosha-Utes,  Pah-Utes, 
which  may  be  freely  translated  “ mountaineers,”  “ val¬ 
ley  men,”  and  “  dwellers  by  the  water,”  those  prefixes 
respectively  indicating  “mountain,”  “valley,”  and  “wa¬ 
ter.”  Of  all  these  the  bravest  are  the  mountain  Utes, 
among  whom  we  might  include  the  Uintah  s ;  but  the 
Indians  of  the  lower  countries  are  rather  cowardly,  and 
dangerous  only  by  theft  or  treachery.  Far  superior  to 
any  of  these  are  the  Shoshonees  or  Snakes,  found  all 
along  the  northern  border  of  Utah,  and  extending 
thence  northeast  to  the  Bannacks  and  westward  into 
Idaho  and  Nevada. 

They  have  a  complete  tribal  organization,  and  some¬ 
thing  like  government  and  council  among  themselves ; 
own  horses  and  cattle,  and  display  some  ingenuity  in 
their  dwellings,  and  in  the  construction  of  fish  weirs  and 
traps  of  willow  bushes.  They  feel  also  something  like 
pride  of  race,  and  to  call  a^  Shoshonee  a  “  digger,”  is 
more  of  an  insult  than  to  stigmatize  a  very  light  mu¬ 
latto  as  a  “  nigger.” 

The  origin  of  the  Indians  has  been  a  subject  of  fre¬ 
quent  inquiry  among  American  antiquarians.  Some 
forty  years  ago,  an  idea  was  broached,  and  for  awhile 
prevailed  quite  extensively,  that  they  were  the  descend¬ 
ants  of  the  “  lost  tribes  ”  of  ancient  Israel,  and .  that 


478  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

V 

veracious  chronicle,  the  “  Book  of  Mormon,”  has  traced 
their  descent  from  a  Jewish  family,  who  left  Jerusalem 
six  hundred  years  before  Christ.  But  if  we  are  to 
to  draw  our  arguments  from  any  recognized  human 
source,  from  language,  features,  customs,  habits  or  trar 
ditions,  there  are  no  two  races  on  earth  of  whose  kin¬ 
ship  there  is  so  little  proof. 

The  features  may  be  greatly  altered  by  climate,  cus¬ 
toms  may  change  with  circumstances,  and  two  thousand 
years  may  be  long  enough  to  pervert  the  radical  princi¬ 
ples  of  a  people’s  religion ;  but  language,  not  as  to  single 
words  but  as  to  grammatical  construction  and  derivation, 
has  ever  been  considered  the  surest  test  of  ethnological 
relationship;  and  every  fact  in  the  language  of  the 
Jews  and  those  of  various  Indian  tribes,  disproves  the 
theory  of  a  common  origin.  To  cite  but  one  :  languages 
are  divided  into  primitive,  and  derivative  or  compound ; 
the  latter  showing  by  their  combinations  a  derivation 
from  older  tongues,  and  the  former  maintaining  their 
simple  formation,  consisting  of  a  certain  number  of 
radical  syllables. 

A  primitive  language  is  never  derived  from  a  com¬ 
pound  one,  the  latter  is  from  the  former. 

The  Indian  languages  are  all  primitive,  showing  no 
derivation  from  any  older  language,  even  the  occasional 
words  of  similar  sound  being  evidently  accidental,  and 
not  nearly  so  numerous  as  those  of  the  same  form  in 
the  Greek  and  the  language  of  the  South  Sea  canni¬ 
bals.  The  Hebrew,  on  the  contrary  is  a  derivative 
language,  the  outgrowth  of  older  Semetic  dialects,  and 
by  its  finish  and  complex  structure,  the  language  of  the 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


479 


Psalms  shows  that  mankind  had  even  then  at  least  two 
thousand  years  of  progress  and  cultivation  in  language. 
Such  a  speech  may  be  corrupted  in  the  mouths  of  a 
barbarous  people,  but  can  never  return  to  its  primitive 
type ;  through  a  thousand  variations  and  centuries  of 
corruption  and  foreign  intermixture,  though  constantly 
debased,  it  will  become  more  complex  and  farther  from 
its  radical  formation.  In  all  other  branches  of  the  in¬ 
quiry,  a  parallel  between  the  Jews  and  Indians  is  found 
only  in  two,  or  at  most,  three  points  of  their  religion ; 
both  believe  in  One  God ,  an  all  prevading  Spirit ,  and  in 
sacrifices ;  the  latter  belief  they  share  with  nearly  all 
the  races  of  men,  and  the  former  with  many  of  them. 
M.  Violet,  a  Frenchman  who  came  to  California  forty 
years  ago,  and  spent  many  years  among  the  Shosho- 
nees,  investigated  their  language  and  traditions  with 
much  care,  and  came  to  the  conclusion  that  they  were 
descendants  of  the  Mantcheux  Tartars.  His  reasons 
are  good,  and  subs-equent  discoveries  confirm  the  prob¬ 
able  truth  of  his  theory.  The  lately  discovered  Chinese 
annals,  which  give  an  account  of  the  expeditions  sent 
out  by  the  Tartar  Kublai  Khan,  about  the  year  1280, 
A.D.,  which  visited  California,  Mexico,  Central  America 
and  Peru,  show  that  they  then  recognized  the  fact  that 
the  country  had  been  previously  settled  by  men  of 
another  branch  of  their  race.  But  it  is  not  necessary  to 
suppose  all  the-  Indians  descended  from  one  branch  of 
the  Tartars :  the  passage  of  the  North  Pacific  being  a 
proved  fact,  no  doubt  several  different  invasions  of  our 
western  coast  took  place,  dating,  perhaps,  even  as  far 
back  as  the  fourth  generation  after  Noah,  who,  it  is 


480  LIFE  IN  UTAH  ;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

generally  agreed  settled  China,  and  who  may  be  sup¬ 
posed  to  have  known  something  about  navigation. 

Of  the  first  discovery  and  exploration  of  the  Great 
Basin  this  is  not  the  proper  place  to  treat ;  but  after  the 
Indians,  in  the  order  of  time,  came  the  Mormons.  They 
were  the  first  white  residents,  and  their  history  is  the 
history  of  the  Territory.  Since  July  24th,  1847,  this 
has  been  their  gathering  place,  the  Territory  of  “  the 
Lord  and  Bro.  Brigham ;  ”  a  consecrated  land  of  salt, 
alkali  and  religious  concubinage ;  where  their  morals 
were  to  be  cured ,  and  their  spiritual  interests  preserved. 

When  we  consider  how  many  million  people  there 
are  in  the  world  to  whom  Mormonism  is  the  natural 
religion,  how  full  modern  society  is  of  the  material  for 
such  a  church,  that  it  promises  a  heaven  exactly  after 
the  natural  heart  of  man,  and  with  the  least  sacrifice  of 
human  pride,  lust  and  passion ;  when  we  add  to  this 
their  vast  and  comprehensive  missionary  system,  com¬ 
passing  sea  and  land  to  make  one  proselyte ;  and  the 
still  more  powerful  fact  that  Mormonism  comes  to  the 
poor  of  the  old  world  not  merely  with  the  attractiveness 
of  a  new  religion,  but  with  the  certainty  of  assisted 
emigration  to  America,  a  land  described  to  them  as 
flowing  with  milk  and  honey,  we  would  naturally  ex- 
,  pect  their  recruits  to  be  numbered  by  tens  of  thousands 
annually. 

That  Utah  has  not  filled  up  and  overflowed  half  a 
dozen  times  with  the  scum  of  Europe,  can  only  be  ac¬ 
counted  for  by  some  inherent  weakness  in  the  system 
itself. 

This  weakness  shows  itself  in  two  ways  :  inability  to 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM.  481 

secure  a  class  who  would  add  real  dignity  and  strength 
to  a  new  commonwealth,  and  the  constant  loss  through 
a  steady  and  ever  increasing  apostasy.  Unfettered 
American  enterprise  planted  half  a  million  people  in 
Iowa  in  ten  years ;  the  vast  machinery  of  the  Mormon 
emigration  system,  the  excitement  of  religious  fanati¬ 
cism,  the  utmost  zeal  of  a  thousand  missionaries  preach¬ 
ing  temporal  prosperity  and  eternal  salvation  to  an  ig¬ 
norant  people,  backed  by  the  assurance  of  a  speedy  pas¬ 
sage  to  a  new  country,  and  aided  by  the  advantages  of 
an  organization  at  once  ecclesiastical  and  secular,  have 
succeeded  in  twenty-three  years  in  fixing  an  uncertain 
population  of  a  hundred  thousand  in  Utah.  The  Mor¬ 
mon  system  of  exaggerating  their  numbers  is  well 
known.  At  the  death  of  Joe  Smith,  they  numbereb 
nearly  200,000  throughout  the  world ;  their  own  sta¬ 
tistics  showed  half  a  million — ( Times  and  Seasons ,  Mil- 
lennial  Star ,  etc.) 

If  they  have  half  the  latter  number  now,  it  is  not 
shown  by  their  published  statistics. 

Their  missionaries  in  the  Eastern  States  give  their 
strength  in  Utah,  in  round  numbers,  at  200,000.  When 
Brigham  Young  was  last  qnestioned  on  that  point,  by  a 
well-known  politician  last  summer,  he  put  the  number 
at  120,000. 

A  Judge  of  the  U.  S.  Court  who  has  traveled  exten¬ 
sively  through  the  Territory,  with  good  opportunities 
for  judging,  estimates  the  total  population  of  Utah  at 
85,000,  probably  a  little  too  low.  Tourists  usually 
state  the  population  of  Salt  Lake  City  in  round  num¬ 
bers,  at  25,000.  There  are  in  that  city  a  little  less 

31 


482  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

than  1,800  houses,  of  all  sizes,  counting  the  barely  hab¬ 
itable  ;  allowing  ten  persons  to  the  dwelling,  we  have 
18,000,  a  very  full  estimate.  Gentile  communities 
average  five  persons  to  the  dwelling,  but  in  Utah  we 
must  double  to  allow  for  infants  and  extra  wives.  The 
population  of  the  Territory  may  be  estimated  with 
tolerable  certainty  from  the  census  of  former  years,  and 
well-known  facts.  By  reference  to  the  U.  S.  census  of 
1860,  it  appears  there  were  then  in  Utah,  20,255  males 
and  20,018  females;  total  40,273. ' 

The  rate  of  increase  in  ten  years  throughout  the 
United  States  is  less  than  40  per  cent.;  if  we  allow 
the  excessive  ratio  of  150  per  cent,  in  Utah,  it  would 
make  the  population  this  year  100,000.  It  will  not 
escape  observation  in  passing  that  the  males  slightly  out¬ 
number  the  females,  not  exactly  indicating  polygamy  as 
the  natural  law.  The  latest  report  we  have  at  hand  is 
that  of  Mr.  Campbell,  Mormon  superintendent  of  com¬ 
mon  schools,  for  the  year  1863,  in  which  appears  the 


following : 

Number  of  boys  between  six  and  eighteen .  3,950 

Number  of  girls  between  four  and  sixteen .  3,662 

Total .  7,612 


We  cannot  suppose  from  any  known  law  of  popu¬ 
lation  that  the  children  between  four  and  eighteen  were 
less  than  one-sixth  of  the  whole  people.  This  would 
give  us  46,000,  nearly,  for  1863,  a  very  moderate  in¬ 
crease  over  1860.  It  is  hardly  reasonable  to  suppose 
that  the  Mormons  have  increased  more  than  100  per 
cent,  in  seven  years.  Here  again  we  see  that  the  boys 
slightly  outnumber  the  girls,  which  will  make  it  rather 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


483 


difficult  for  some  of  them  to  get  wives,  if  polygamy  lasts 
through  that  generation.  From  personal  observation, 
and  the  best  information  obtainable,  I  sum  up  the  Mor¬ 
mon  population  of  Utah,  beginning  on  the  north,  as 
follows : 

Cache  and  Bear  Lake  Valleys .  13,000 

Thence  to  Brigham  City .  2,000 

Brigham  City .  2,000 

West  of  Bear  River . 1,000 

Thence  to  Ogden .  1,000 

Ogden  and  vicinity .  4,000 

Kaysville  and  vicinity .  1,500 

Farmington  and  vicinity .  2.500 

Centreville .  1,500 

Bountiful  (Session’s  Settlement) .  2,000 

Weber  Valley  to  Echo . - . *. .  2,500 

Coalville,  Wanship  and  Upper  Weber . 4,000 


Total  north  of  Salt  Lake  City .  37,000 

Salt  Lake  City  and  near  vicinity .  20,000 

Thence  to  Utah  Lake .  7,000 

Provo .  4,000 

Remainder  of  Utah  Lake  district .  8,000 

Sevier  and  San  Pete  Valleys .  3,000 

Provo  to  St.  George .  6,000 

St.  George  and  vicinity .  3,000 

Southern  settlements .  7,000 

Tooille  and  Ruby  Valleys .  4,000 

West  of  the  last  named  (?) .  1,000 


Grand  total . 100,000 

This  population  extends  along  an  irregular  line,  or 
rather  arc,  five  hundred  miles  from  north  to  south ;  a 
band  fifty  miles  wide  would  include  all  the  settlements, 
except  a  few  immediately  west,  east  and  northeast  of 
Salt  Lake  City ;  nor  have  I  made  any  deductions  on 


484  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

V 

% 

account  of  tlie  southern  settlements,  now  known  to  be 
in  Nevada  and  Arizona,  or  the  few  in  the  southern  edge 
of  Idaho. 

Of  the  entire  population,  the  adult  portion  is  made 
up  very  nearly  as  follows :  from  Great  Britain,  one-half ; 
from  Sweden,  Norway  and  Denmark,  one-third;  a  dozen 
or  twenty  each  from  Ireland,  Italy,  France  and  Prussia ; 
a  few  Orientals ;  five  Jews ;  a  score  or  two  of  Kanakas; 
and  the  remaining  one-seventh  or  eighth,  American. 
The  children,  of  course,  are  nearly  all  natives.  While 
the  foreigners  are  as  seven  or  eight  to  one  in  the  body 
of  the  Church,  the  Americans  are  about  six  to  one  in 
the  Presidencies,  Quorum  of  Apostles,  leading  Bishops 
and  Elders,  showing  pretty  conclusively  the  “  ruling 
race.’’  We  are  bound  to  say  that  our  fellow-country¬ 
men  are  smart,  if  they  are  rascally. 

The  entire  Mormon  people  probably  include  nearly 
ten  thousand  men  capable  of  bearing  arms,  of  whom 
those  in  the  northern  settlements,  and  the  American 
portion  generally,  know  something  of  drill  and  the  use 
of  fire-arms ;  of  the  Scandinavians,  their  skill  may  be 
judged  from  the  fact  that  a  thousand  or  more  of  them 
were  driven  out  of  Sevier  Valley  by  three  hundred 
Mountain  Utes,  twenty-two  of  the  latter  in  one  battle 
defeating  a  hundred  and  fifty  militia.  But  the  English 
and  American  Saints  in  the  north  displayed  consider¬ 
able  bravery  under  Lot  Smith,  and  other  leaders,  in 
1857,  when  Buchanan  “  crushed  the  Mormons.” 

Whether  they  are  still  confident  of  their  ability  “  to 
thrash  the  United  States,”  cannot  well  be  known. 
After  a  careful  statement  of  its  resources,  Lieut.  J.  W. 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


485 


Gunnison,  assistant  to  Capt.  Stansbury,  estimates  that 
the  entire  Territory  is  capable  of  sustaining  a  popula¬ 
tion  of  one  million  persons,  entirely  by  grazing  and 
agriculture. 

The  area  is  but  half  as  large  as  at  that  time,  and 
from  my  knowledge  of  fertile  land  still  unoccupied,  I 
am  convinced  that  his  estimate  will  apply  proportion- 
ably  at  present.  Thus,  within  the  present  limits  of 
Utah  may  be  developed  a  State,  with  a  population  of 
half  a  million  engaged  in  agriculture,  grazing,  and  do¬ 
mestic  manufacture,  tod  a  quarter  of  a  million  more 
engaged  in  mining.  But  long  before  that  occurs,  the 
Territory  must  undergo  a  political  and  social  change, 
and  Mormonism  give  way  to  Christianity,  progress  and 
enterprise. 


486 


LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

V 


CHAPTER  XX. 


MORMON  MYSTERIES - THEIR  ORIGIN. 

The  Endowment — Actors — Scenery  and  dress— Pre-requisites — Adam  and 
Eve,  the  Devil  and  Michael,  Jehovah  and  Eloheim— A  new  version — 
Blasphemous  assumptions — Terrible  oaths— Barbarous  penalties — Origin 
—Scriptures  and  Paradise  Lost — Eleusinian  mysteries— “  Morgan’s 
Free-masonry  ” —  The  witnesses  —  Probabilities  —  Their  reasons  — 
Changes. 

THE  ENDOWMENT. 

Dramatis  Personae. 


Eloheim,  or  Head  God . . .  Brigham  Young, 

Jehovah .  George  A.  Smith, 

Jesits .  Daniel  H.  Wells, 

Michael .  George  Q.  Cannon, 

Satan .  W.  W.  Phelps, 

Apostle  Peter .  Joseph  F.  Smith, 

Apostle  James .  John  TajTor, 

Apostle  John .  Erastus  Snow, 

Eve .  Miss  Eliza  R.  Snow. 

Clerk ,  Washers ,  Attendants,  Sectarians,  Chorus  and  Endowees. 


I. 


THE  FIRST  (PRE-EXISTENT)  ESTATE. 

The  candidates  present  themselves  at  the  Endow¬ 
ment  House,  provided  with  clean  clothes  and  a  lunch ; 
they  are  admitted  to  the  outer  office,  and  their  accounts 
with  the  Church  verified  by  a  clerk.  Their  names, 
ages  and  the  dates  of  their  conversion  and  baptism  are 


Scenes  in  tiie  Endowment  Ceremonies. 


1.  Preparation— Washing  and  Anointing.  2.  Eloheira  Cursing  Adam  and 
Eve— Satan  Driven  out,  3.  Trial  of  Faith— The  “Searching  Hand.”  4.  Oath 
to  Avenge  the  Death  of  Joseph  Smith.  5.  Tho  “Blood  Atonement.” 


. 


.  . 


'  * 

' 

. 

*  .  i 


■ 


.:  '  ■  d  ■  n  .... 

. 


.  ■ 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


487 


entered  in  the  register ;  their  tithing  receipts  are  care¬ 
fully  inspected,  and  if  found  correct  an  entry  thereof 
is  made.  This  last  is  an  indispensable  before  initiation. 
Evidence  is  also  presented  of  faithful  attendance  on 
public  service  and  at  the  “  School  of  the  Prophets.”  If 
any  husband  and  wife  appear  who  have  not  been  sealed 
for  eternity,  a  note  is  made  of  the  fact,  the  ceremony  to 
be  performed  in  the  initiation.  They  then  remove  their 
shoes  and,  preceded  by  the  attendants,  who  wear  slip¬ 
pers,  with  measured  and  noiseless  step  enter  the  central 
ante-room,  a  narrow  hall  separated  by  white  screens 
from  two  other  rooms  to  the  right  and  left  ;  the  right 
one  is  for  men,  and  the  left  for  women. 

Deep  silence  prevails,  the  attendants  communicating 
by  mysterious  signs  or  very  low  whispers  5  a  dim  light 
pervades  the  room,  mellowed  by  heavy  shades;  the 
faint  plash  of  pouring  water  behind  the  screens  alone 
is  heard,  and  the  whole  scene  is  calculated  to  cast  a 
solemn  awe  over  the  ignorant  candidates,  waiting  with 
subdued  but  nervous  expectancy  for  some  mysterious 
event.  After  a  few  moments  of  solemn  waiting,  the 
men  are  led  to  their  washing-room  on  the  right,  and 
the  women  to  the  left.  The  female  candidate  is 
stripped,  placed  in  the  bath  and  washed  from  head  to 
foot  by  a’ woman  set  apart  for  the  purpose.  Every 
member  is  mentioned,  with  a  special  blessing. 

“  Washer  :  —  Sister ,  I  wash  you  clean  from  the 
blood  of  this  generation,  and  prepare  your  members 
for  lively  service  in  the  way  of  all  true  Saints.  I 
wash  your  head  that  it  may  be  prepared  for  that 
crown  of  glory  awaiting  you  as  a  faithful  Saint,  and 


488  LIFE  IN  UTAH  ;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

the  fruitful  wife  of  a  priest  of  the  Lord ;  that  your 
brain  may  be  quick  in  discernment,  and  your  eyes  able 
to  perceive  the  truth  and  avoid  the  snares  of  the 
enemy ;  your  mouth  to  show  forth  the  praise  of  the 
immortal  gods ,  and  your  tongue  to  pronounce  the  true 
name  which  will  admit  you  hereafter  behind  the  veil, 
and  by  which  you  will  be  known  in  the  celestial 
kingdom.  I  wash  your  arms  to  labor  in  the  cause  of 
righteousness,  and  your  hands  to  be  strong  in  building 
up  the  kingdom  of  God  by  all  manner  of  profitable 
works.  I  wash  your  breasts  that  you  may  prove  a 
fruitful  vine,  to  nourish  a  strong  race  of  swift  witnesses, 
earnest  in  defence  of  Zion ;  your  body,  to  present  it  an 
acceptable  tabernacle  when  you  come  to  pass  behind 
the  veil ;  your  loins  that  you  may  bring  forth  a  numer¬ 
ous  race,  to  crown  you  with  eternal  glory  and  strengthen 
the  heavenly  kingdom  of  your  husband,  your  master 
and  crown  in  the  Lord.  I  wash  your  knees,  on  which 
to  prostrate  yourself  and  humbly  receive  the  truth 
from  God’s  holy  priesthood ;  your  feet  to  run  swiftly 
in  the  ways  of  righteousness  and  stand  firm  upon  the 
appointed  places ;  and  now,  I  pronounce  you  clean  from 
the  blood  of  this  generation,  and  your  body  an  accepta¬ 
ble  temple  for  the  indwelling  of  the  Holy  Spirit.” 

A  similar  washing  is  performed  upon  the  male  can¬ 
didate  in  his  own  room,  and  a  blessing  pronounced  upon 
his  body  in  like  manner. 

He  is  then  passed  through  a  slit  in  the  curtain  to  the 
next  compartment  forward;  as  he  passes,  an  apostle 
whispers  in  his  ear  “a  new  name,  by  which  he  will  be 
known  in  the  celestial  kingdom  of  God.” 


k 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


489 


Beaching  the  second  room,  the  candidate  is  anointed 
with  oil,  which  has  been  previously  blessed  and  conse¬ 
crated  by  two  priests,  poured  upon  his  head  from  a  horn, 
or  from  a  mahogany  vessel  shaped  to  resemble  one. 
The  oil  is  rubbed  into  his  hair  and  beard,  and  upon  each 
of  his  limbs,  which  are  again  blessed  in  order.  At  the 
same  time  the  women  are  anointed  in  their  own  wash¬ 
ing  room.  The  candidate  is  then  dressed  in  a  sort  of 
tunic,  or  close-fitting  garment,  reaching  from  the  neck 
to  the  heels.  This,  or  a  similar  one,  blessed  for  the 
purpose,  is  always  to  be  worn  next  to  the  body,  to  pro¬ 
tect  the  wearer  from  harm  and  from  the  assaults  of  the 
devil.  Many  Mormons  are  so  strenuous  on  this  point, 
they  remove  the  garment  but  a  portion  at  a  time  when, 
changing,  partly  slipping  on  the  new  before  the  old  is 
entirely  off.  It  is  generally  believed  that  Joe  Smith 
took  off  his  tunic  the  morning  he  went  to  Carthage,  to 
avoid  the  charge  of  being  in  a  secret  society ;  and  thaf 
he  would  not  have  been  killed,  if  he  had  retained  it. 
Over  the  tunic  comes  the  ordinary  underclothing,  and 
above  a  robe  used  only  for  this  purpose;  it  is  made  of 
fine  linen,  plaited  on  the  shoulders,  gathered  around  the 
waist  with  a  band,  and  falling  to  the  floor  behind  and 
before.  On  the  head  is  placed  a  cap  of  fine  linen,  and 
on  the  feet  light  cotton  slippers. 

At  this  point  begins,  in  the  adjoining  ropm,  the  pre¬ 
paratory  debate  in  the  grand  council  of  the  gods ,  as  to 
whether  they  shall  make  man.  Eloheim,  Jehovah 
Jesus  and  Michael  intone  a  drama  in  blank  verse,  repre¬ 
senting  the  successive  steps  in  the  creation  of  the  world. 
Eloheim  enumerates  the  works  of  each  day,  and  com- 


490  LIFE  IN  UTAH  ;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

mends  them  all;  at  the  close  of  each,  all  the  others 
unite  in  a  responsive  chorus  of  surprise  and  praise  at 
the  glory  and  beauty  of  the  work,  concluding  : — 

“  Eloheim.  Now  all  is  done,  and  earth  with  animate  life  is  glad.  The 
stately  elephant  to  browse  the  forest,  the  ramping  lion  in  the  moun¬ 
tain  caves,  gazelles,  horned  cattle  and  the  fleecy  flocks  spread  o’er  the 
grassy  vales ;  behemoth  rolls  his  bulk  in  shady  fens  by  river  banks, 
among  the  ooze,  and  the  great  whale  beneath  the  waters,  and  fowl  to 
fly  above  in  the  open  firmament  of  heaven.  Upon  the  earth  behold 
bears,  ounces,  tigers,  pards,  and  every  creeping  thing  that  moves  upon 
the  ground.  Each  after  his  kind  shall  bring  forth  and  multiply  upon 
the  earth  ;  and  yet  there  lacks  the  master  work,  the  being  in  the  form 
and  likeness  of  the  gods ,  erect  to  stand,  his  Maker  praise,  and  over  all 
the  rest  dominion  hold.” 

‘  ‘  Jehovah,  Jesus ,  Michael  and  Elolieim.  Let  us  make  man,  in  image, 
form  and  likeness  as  our  own  ;  and  as  becomes  our  sole  complete  repre¬ 
sentative  on  earth,  to  him  upright,  dominion  give  and  power  over  all 
that  flies,  swims,  creeps,  or  walks  upon  the  earth.” 

The  attendants  have  meanwhile  placed  the  candidates 
on  the  floor  and  closed  their  eyes,  when  the  gods  enter 
and  manipulate  them  limb  by  limb,  specifying  the  office 
of  each  member,  and  pretending  to  create  and  mould. 
They  then  slap  upon  them  to  vivify  and  represent  the 
creative  power,  breathe  into  their  nostrils  “  the  breath 
of  life,”  and  raise  them  to  their  feet.  They  are  then 
supposed  to  be  “  as  Adam,  newly  made,  completely 
ductile,  mobile  in  the  maker’s  hand.” 

II. 

SECOND  ESTATE. 

Men  file  into  the  next  room,  with  paintings  and 
scenery  to  represent*  the  Garden  of  Eden.  There  are 
.gorgeous  curtains  and  carpets,  trees  and  shrubs  in  boxes, 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


491 


paintings  of  mountains,  flowers,  and  fountains,  all  shown 
in  soft  light  and  delicate  tints,  together  presenting  a 
beautiful  and  impressive  scene.  While  they  move 
around  the  garden  to  measured  music,  another  discussion 
ensues  between  the  gods ;  Michael  proposes  various  an¬ 
imals,  in  turn,  to  be  the  intimates  of  man,  which  are 
successively  rejected  by  Jehovah,  Jesus  and  Elolieim. 
The  men  are  then  laid  recumbent,  with  closed  eyes,  in 
pantomime  a  rib  is  extracted  from  each,  out  of  which, 
in  the  adjoining  room,  their  wives  are  supposed  to  be 
formed ;  the  men  are  then  commanded  to  awake,  and 
see  their  wives  for  the  first  time  since  parting  in  the 
entry,  dressed  nearly  like  themselves.  They  walk 
around  the  garden  by  couples,  led  by  the  officiating 
Adam  and  Eve,  when  Satan  enters.  He  is  dressed  in 
a  very  tight-fitting  suit  of  black  velvet,  consisting  of 
short  jacket  and  knee-breeches,  with  black  stockings 
and  slippers,  the  last  with  long  double  points ;  he,  also, 
wears  a  hideous  mask,  and  pointed  helmet.  He  ap¬ 
proaches  Eve,  who  is  separated  from  Adam,  and  begins 
to  praise  her  beauty;  after  which  he  proffers  the 
“ temptation.”  (Here  there  is  a  difference  in  the  testi¬ 
mony.  John  Hyde  says,  the  “  fruit  offered  consisted 
of  some  raisins  hanging  on  a  shrub;”  one  lady  states 
that  the  temptation  consists  of  gestures  and  hints  “not 
to  be  described while  another  young  lady,  after  imply¬ 
ing  that  Adam  and  Eve  were  nearly  naked,  merely 
adds:  “I  cannot  mention  the  nature  of  the  fruit,  but 
have  left  more  unsaid  than  the  imagination  held  with 
the  loosest  possible  rein  would  be  likely  to  picture  . . .  the 
reality  is  too  monstrous  for  human  belief,  and  the  moral 


492  LIFE  IN  UTAH J  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

b  "•» 

and  object  of  the  whole  is  socially  to  unsex  the  sexes.” 
A  third  lady  states  that  the  fruit  consisted  merely  of 
a  bunch  of  grapes,  and  adds :  “  Those  conducting  the 
ceremonies  explained  to  us  beforehand  that  this  por¬ 
tion  of  the  affair  should  be  conducted  with  the  men  and 
women  entirely  naked ;  but  that,  in  consequence  of  the 
prejudice  existing  in  the  minds  of  individuals  against 
that  method  of  proceeding,  coupled  with  the  fact  that 
we  were  not  yet  sufficiently  perfect  and  pure-minded, 
and  that  our  enemies  would  use  it  as  a  weapon  against 
us,  it  was  considered  necessary  that  we  should  be 
clothed.”  It  is  quite  probable  the  ceremony  is  fre¬ 
quently  changed.) 

Eve  yields  and  partakes  of  the  “  fruit ;”  soon  after 
she  is  joined  by  Adam,  to  whom  she  offers  the  same ; 
he  first  hesitates,  but  overcome  by  her  reproaches,  also 
eats.  They  grow  delirious  from  its  effects,  join  hands, 
embrace,  and  dance  around  the  room  till  they  sink 
exhausted. 

A  loud  chorus  of  groans  and  lamentations  is  heard 
behind  the  curtain,  followed  by  a  sudden  crash  as  of 
heavy  thunder;  a  rift  opens  in  a  curtain  painted  to 
represent  a  dense  wood,  and  in  the  opening  appears 
Eloheim,  behind  him  a  brilliant  light;  he  is  clothed 
with  a  gorgeous  dress,  bespangled  with  ‘brilliants  and 
brights  stripes  to  dazzle  the  eyes. 

“  Eloheim.  Where  art  thou,  Adam, 

Erst  created  first  of  all  earth’s  tribes, 

And  wont  to  meet  with  joy  thy  coming  Lord  ?” 

“  Adam.  Afar  I  heard  Thy  coming, 

In  the  thunder’s  awful  voice, 

Thy  footsteps  shook  the  earth, 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


493 


And  dread  seized  all  my  frame, 

I  saw  myself  in  naked  shame, 

Unlit  to  face  Thy  Majesty.” 

“  Eloheim.  How  knew’st  thou  of  thy  shame  ? 

My  voice  thou  oft  has  heard, 

And  feared  it  not.  What  has  thou  done  ? 

Hast  eaten  of  that  tree 
To  thee  forbid  ?” 

u  Adam.  Shall  I  accuse  the  partner  of  my  life 
Or  on  myself  the  total  crime  avow  ? 

But  what  avails  concealment  with  earth’s  Lord  ? 

His  thoughts  discern  my  inmost  hidden  sense. 

The  woman  Thou  gav’st  to  be  my  help 
Beguiled  me  with  her  perfect  charms, 

By  Thee  endowed,  acceptable,  divine, 

She  gave  me  of  the  fruit,  and  I  did  eat.” 

11  Eloheim.  Say,  woman,  what  is  this  that  thou  hast  done  ?” 
u  Eve.  The  serpent  me  beguiled  and  I  did  eat.” 

Eloheim  then  pronounces  a  curse — literally  copied 
from  the  Scripture — upon  the  serpent,  or  rather  Satan, 
who  fell  upon  the  ground,  and  with  many  contortions 
wriggles  out  of  the  room.  A  curse  is  next  pronounced 
upon  Eve,  and  then  upon  Adam,  paraphrased  from  the 
Scripture.  They  fall  upon  the  ground,  beat  their 
breasts,  rend  their  clothes,  and  bewail  their  lost  and 
sinful  condition. 

“  Eloheim.  How  is  man  fallen  indeed.  The  accursed  power  which 
first  made  war  in  Heaven,  hath  practiced  fraud  on  earth.  By  Adam’s 
transgression  should  all  be  under  sin ;  the  moral  nature  darkened, 
and  none  could  know  the  truth.  But  cries  of  penitence  have  reached 
my  ears,  and  Higher  Power  shall  redeem.  Upon  this  earth  I  place 
My  holy  priesthood.  To  them  as  unto  Me  in  humble  reverence  bow. 
Man,  fallen  by  Satan’s  wiles,  shall  by  obedience  rise.  Behold,  the 
Woman’s  Seed  shall  bruise  the  Serpent’s  head  ;  from  her  a  race  pro¬ 
ceed  endowed  on  earth  with  power  divine.  To  them  shall  man  sub¬ 
mit,  and  regain  the  paradise  now  lost  through  disobedience.  With 
power  divine  the  priesthood  is  endowed,  but  not  in  fulness  now.  Obey 


494  LIFE  IN  UTAH )  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

them  as  the  Incarnate  Voice  of  God,  and  in  time’s  fullness  Woman’s 
Seed  shall  all  that’s  lost  restore  to  man.  By  woman,  first  fallen,  Adam 
fell ;  from  Woman’s  Seed  the  priesthood  shall  arise,  redeeming  man  ; 
and  man  in  turn  shall  Eve  exalt,  restoring  her  to  the  paradise  by  her 
first  lost.  Meanwhile  go  forth,  ye  fallen  ones,  with  only  nature’s  light, 
and  seek  for  truth.” 

The  attendants  now  place  upon  each  of  the  initiates 
a  small  square  apron,  of  white  linen  or  silk,  with  cer¬ 
tain  emblematical  marks  and  green  pieces  resembling 
fig  leaves,  worked  in  and  handsomely  embroidered. 

The  candidates  then  kneel  and  join  in  a  solemn  oath, 
repeating  it  slowly  after  Adam :  That  they  will  pre¬ 
serve  the  secret  inviolably,  under  penalty  of  being 
brought  to  the  block,  and  having  their  blood  spilt  upon 
the  ground  in  atonement  for  their  sin ;  that  they  will 
obey  and  submit  themselves  to  the  priesthood  in  all 
things,  and  the  men  in  addition,  that  they  will  take  no 
woman  unless  given  them  by  the  Presidency  of  the 
Church.  A  grip  and  a  key-word  are  then  communi¬ 
cated,  and  the  First  Degree  of  the  Aaronic  Priesthood 
is  conferred.  Man  is  now  supposed  to  have  entered 
into  life,  where  the  light  has  become  as  darkness.  They 
pass  through  a  narrow  opening  into  the  next  room, 
which  is  almost  dark,  heavy  curtains  shutting  out  all 
but  a  few  rays  of  light.  Here  they  stumble  about,  fall 
against  blocks  and  furniture ;  persons  are  heard  calling, 
“  here  is  light,”  “  there  is  light,”  etc.,  and  a  contest  goes 
on  among  those  who  call  themselves  Methodist,  Bap¬ 
tist,  Presbyterian,  Catholic,  etc.  The  curtains  are  con¬ 
stantly  agitated,  and  being  darkly  painted  with  hideous 
figures,  discover  a  thousand  .chimerical  shapes.  The 
sectarians  seize  hold  of  the  initiates  and  pull  them  vio¬ 
lently  about,  till  the  latter  are  quite  exhausted.  Satan 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


495 


now  enters,  commends  the  sectarians,  laughs,  chuckles 
and  is  quite  delighted ;  the  latter  recommence  their 
struggle  for  the  initiates,  when  a  sudden  fall  of  curtains 
throws  in  a  full  blaze  of  light,  and  Peter,  James  and 
John  descend  into  the  room.  They  order  the  devil  to 
withdraw :  he  falls  upon  the  ground,  foams,  hisses  and 
wriggles  out,  chased  and  kicked  by  the  Apostle  Peter. 

The  initiates  are  then  ranged  in  order  to  listen  to  a 
lecture — 

“Peter.  Brethren  and  Sisters,  light  is  now  come  into  the  world,  and 
the  way  is  opened  unto  men  ;  Satan  hath  desired  to  sift  you  as  wheat, 
and  great  shall  be  his  condemnation  who  rejects  this  light. — (The 
ceremony  is  explained  up  to  this  point.) — The  holy  priesthood  is  once 
more  established  upon  earth,  in  the  person  of  Joseph  Smith  and  his 
successors.  They  alone  have  the  power  to  seal.  To  this  priesthood 
as  unto  Christ,  all  respect  is  due  ;  obedience  implicit,  and  yielded 
without  a  murmur.  He  who  gave  life  has  the  right  to  take  it.  His 
representatives  the  same.  You  are  then  to  obey  all  orders  of  the 
priesthood,  temporal  and  spiritual,  in  matters  of  life  or  death.  Sub¬ 
mit  yourselves  to  the  higher  powers,  as  a  tallowed  rag  in  the  hands 
of  God’s  priesthood.  You  are  now  ready  to  enter  the  kingdom  of 
God.  Look  forth  upon  the  void  and  tell  me  what  ye  see.”  (Curtain 
is  raised.) 

11  Adam  and  Eve.  A  human  skeleton.” 

11  Peter.  Rightly  have  ye  spoken.  Behold  all  that  remains  of  one 
unfaithful  to  these  holy  vows.  The  earth  had  no  habitation  for  one 
so  vile.  The  fowls  of  the  air  fed  upon  his  accursed  flesh,  and  the 
fierce  elements  consumed  the  joints  and  the  marrow.  Do  ye  still 
desire  to  go  forward  ?  ” 

u  Adam.  We  do.” 

The  initiates  then  join  hands  and  kneel  in  a  circle, 
slowly  repeating  an  oath  after  Peter.  The  penalty  is 
to  have  the  throat  cut  from  ear  to.  ear,  with  many 
agonizing  details.  The  Second  Degree  of  the  Aaronic 
Priesthood  is  then  conferred,  and  the  initiates  pass  into 
the  third  room  in  the  middle  of  which  is  an  altar. 


496 


LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 


III. 

THIRD  ESTATE. 

Emblematic  of  celestialized  men. 

“  Michael.  Here  all  hearts  are  laid  open,  all  desires  revealed,  and 
all  traitors  are  made  known.  In  council  of  the  gods  it  hath  been 
decreed  that  here  the  faithless  shall  die.  Some  enter  here  with  evil 
intent ;  but  none  with  evil  intent  go  beyond  this  veil  or  return  alive, 
if  here  they  practice  deceit.  If  one  among  you  knows  aught  of 
treachery  in  his  heart,  we  charge  him  now  to  speak,  while  yet  he 
may  and  live.  Brethren,  an  ordeal  awaits  you.  Let  the  pure  have 
no  fear  ;  the  false-hearted  quake.  Each  shall  pass  under  the  Search¬ 
ing  Hand,  and  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  decide  for  his  own.” 

The  initiates  are  placed  one  by  one  upon  the  altar, 
stretched  at  full  length  upon  the  back,  and  the  officia¬ 
ting  priest  passes  an  immense  knife  or  keen-edged  razor 
across  their  throats.  It  is  understood  that  if  any  are 
false  at  heart,  the  Spirit  will  reveal  it,  to  their  instant 
death.  Of  course,  all  pass.  They  again  clasp  hands, 
kneel  and  slowly  repeat  after  Jehovah,  another  oath. 
The  penalty  for  its  violation  is  to  have  the  bowels 
slit  across  and  the  entrails  fed  to  swine — with  many 
horrifying  and  disgusting  details.  Another  sign,  grip 
and  key  word  are  given,  and  the  First  Degree  of  the 
Melchizedeh  Priesthood  is  conferred,  being  the  third 
degree  of  the  Endowment.  Copies  of  the  Bible,  “  Book 
of  Mormon  ”  and  “  Doctrine  and  Covenants  ”  are  placed 
upon  the  altar,  and  another  lecture  delivered.  The 
initiates  are  now  instructed  that  they  are  in  a  saved 
condition,  and  are  to  go  steadily  on  in  the  way  of 
salvation ;  but  that  temporal  duties  demand  their  first 
care,  chief  among  which  is  a  positive,  immediate  duty 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


497 


to  avenge  the  death  of  the  Prophet  and  Martyr,  Joseph 
Smith.  The  account  of  his  martyrdom  is  circumstan¬ 
tially  related,  after  which  the  initiates  take  a  solemn 
oath  to  avenge  his  death;  that  they  will  bear  eternal 
hostility  to  the  Government  of  the  United  States  for 
the  murder  of  the  Prophet;  that  they  renounce  all 
allegiance  they  may  have  held  to  the  Government, 
and  hold  themselves  absolved  from  all  oaths  of  fealty, 
past  or  future ;  that  they  will  do  all  in  their  power 
towards  the  overthrow  of  that  Government,  and  in 
event  of  failure  teach  their  children  to  pursue  that 
purpose  after  them.  Another  oath  of  fidelity  and 
secresy  is  administered,  of  which  the  penalty  is  to  have 
the  heart  torn  out  and  fed  to  the  fowls  of  the  air. 
The  initiates  are  now  declared  acceptable  to  God, 
taught  a  new  form  of  prayer,  “in  an  unknown  tongue,” 
and  the  Second  Degree  of  the  Melchizedek  Priesthood  is 
conferred.  They  are  then  passed  “  behind  the  veil,” 
a  linen  curtain,  to  the  last  room. 

IV. 

FOURTH  ESTATE. 

The  kingdom  of  the  Gods. 

The  men  enter  first,  and  the  officiating  priest  cuts 
certain  marks  on  their  garments  and  a  slight  gash  just 
above  the  right  knee.  Then,  at  the  command  of 
Eloheim,  they  one  by  one  introduce  their  women  to 
the  room.  Very  few  instances  have  occurred  of  women 
being  admitted  to  these  rites  before  marriage.  “  Seal¬ 
ing  for  eternity  ”  is  then  performed  for  all  who  have 
previously  been  only  “  married  for  time.” 

32 


498  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

The  initiated  then  retire,  resume  their  regular  dress, 
get  a  lunch  and  return  to  hear  a  lengthy  address,  ex¬ 
plaining  the  entire  allegory,  and  their  future  duties 
consequent  on  the  vows  they  have  taken.  The  entire 
ceremony  and  address  occupy  about  ten  hours. 

Such  is  the  Endowment,  as  reported  by  many  who 
have  passed  through  it.  The  general  reader  will 
readily  recognize  that  portion  which  is  paraphrased 
from  the  Scriptures  and  Milton’s  Paradise  Lost.  The 
general  outline  is  evidently  modeled  upon  the  Mysteries 
or  Holy  Dramas  of  the  Middle  Ages,  with,  perhaps,  an 
attempt  to  reproduce  portions  of  the  Eleusinian  Mys¬ 
teries  of  Ancient  Greece.  Much  of  it  will  be  recognized 
as  extracted  from  “  Morgan’s  Free-masonry  Expose,” 
by  those  familiar  with  that  work ;  and  the  origin  of 
this  is  quite  curious.  When  Smith  and  Rigdon  first 
began  their  work  they  were  in  great  doubt  what  to 
preach  ;  a  furious  religious  excitement  was  prevalent  in 
the  West,  and  portions  of  argument  in  regard  to  all  the 
isms  of  the  day  may  be  found  in  the  “  Book  of  Mor¬ 
mon.”  But  Anti-Masonry  was  just  then  the  great 
political  excitement  of  New  York,  and  the  infant 
Church  was  easily  drawn  into  that  furious  and  baseless 
crusade,  which  already  ranks  in  history  as  one  of  those 
unaccountable  popular  frenzies  which  occasionally  dis¬ 
turb  our  politics,  rising  froip.  no  one  knows  where,  and 
subsiding  as  apparently  without  cause.  Smith’s  “New 
Translation  ”  of  the  Old  Testament  is  full  of  Anti- 
Masonry  ;  the  fifth  chapter  of  Genesis  as  he  has  it, 
which  is  added  entire  to  our  version,  is  devoted  entirely 
to  the  condemnation  of  secret  societies,  and  sets  forth 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


499 


particularly  how  they  were  the  invention  of  Cain  after 
he  “fled  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord.’’  But  the 
Brighamites  declare  the  time  has  not  yet  come  to  pub¬ 
lish  or  circulate  this  Bible ;  and  it  is  only  quoted  by 
the  Josephites,  who  use  this  chapter  to  condemn  the 
Endowment.  Some  years  after,  however,  the  Mormons 
all  became  Masons,  and  so  continued  till  they  reached 
Nauvoo;  there  Joseph  Smith  out-masoned  Solomon 
himself,  and  declared  that  God  had  revealed  to  him  a 
great  key-word,  which  had  been  lost,  and  that  he  would 
lead  Masonry  to  far  higher  degrees,  and  not  long  after 
their  charter  was  revoked  by  the  Grand  Lodge.  How 
much  of  Masonry  proper  has  survived  in  the  Endow¬ 
ment,  the  writer  will  not  pretend  to  say ;  but  the  Mor¬ 
mons  are  pleased  to  have  the  outside  world  connect 
the  two,  and  convey  the  impression  that  this  is  “  Celes¬ 
tial  Masonry.” 

But  the  experience  of  the  Mormons  has  fully  proved 
— if  any  proof  were  needed — that  among  so  many  ready 
to  take  vile  and  abominable  oaths,  some  would  be  found 
equally  ready  to  violate  them.  Of  those  apostate  Mor¬ 
mons  who  communicated  some  portions  of  the  matter 
to  the  writer,  he  is  convinced  their  account  is  correct, 
and  is  at  liberty  to  say  no  more ;  but  it  may  be  of  in¬ 
terest  to  the  reader  to  know  how  others  justify  the 
breaking  of  such  solemn  vows,  even  at  considerable  risk 
to  themselves.  John  Hyde,  the  most  noted  of  all  apos¬ 
tates,  and  esteemed  a  very  honorable  man,  gives  his 
reasons  at  length,  summing  up  as  follows : 

First,  As  no  one  knew  what  were  the  oaths  previous 
to  hearing  them,  and  no  one  after  hearing,  could  refuse 


500  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

to  take  them,  they  are  not  binding  in  justice.  Secondly , 
As  the  obligations  also  involved  other  acts  of  obedience 
as  well  as  secrecy,  and  as  I  do  not  intend  to  obey  those 
other  obligations,  it  can  be  no  more  improper  to  break 
the  oath  of  secrecy  than  the  oath  of  unlimited  obedi¬ 
ence.  Thirdly ,  As  the  obligations  involved  treason 
against  the  United  States,  it  becomes  a  duty  to  expose 
them.  Fourthly ,  The  promise  of  Endowment  being  a 
principal  bait  held  out  to  the  Mormons,  to  get  them  to 
Salt  Lake,  it  is  well  they  should  know  what  it  is  worth. 
Fifthly ,  It  is  better  to  violate  a  bad  oath,  than  to 
keep  it. 

In  ethics  Mr.  Hyde’s  first  reason  is  worth  all  the 
rest ;  the  third  can  hardly  be  admitted,  as  he  was  a 
resident  of  England,  unnaturalized  in  America,  and  the 
last  would  apply  with  equal  force  to  any  oath,  and  in 
the  mouth  of  any  man.  But  Elder  Hyde  has  only 
exemplified  the  usual  course  of  apostate  Mormons ; 
from  a  material  and  gross  extreme  he  has  blundered  to 
the  opposite  ultimate  of  vague  mysticism,  and  is  now 
preaching  Swedenborgianism  in  England.  If  he  live 
twenty  years,  he  will  probably  again  recant,  relapse  into 
complete  infidelity,  or  become  a  Millenarian,  Spiritualist 
or  lunatic. 

Are  we  to  believe  the  testimony  of  apostates,  and  do 
these  things  really  occur  ? 

My  own  opinion  is,  that  the  account  is  substantially 
correct,  for  many  reasons  :  that  the  witnesses  agree  where 
collusion  is  impossible ;  the  relation  is  in  many  in¬ 
stances  by  persons  utterly  incapable  of  inventing  or 
constructing  such  a  plot ;  apostates  universally  have  a 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


501 


horror  or  fear  of  speaking  about  it,  and  never  do  until 
they  are  safe  beyond  the  power  of  the  Church;  all 
that  can  be  observed  by  outsiders  corresponds  with 
these  accounts,  and  particularly  the  fact  that  there  is 
a  close  agreement  and  perfect  analogy  between  the 
known  doctrines  of  the  Church  and  the  outlines  of  the 
drama. 

Such  is  one  of  the  means  employed  by  the  Mormon 
leaders  to  weld  their  people  into  perfect  unitj^ ;  and  to 
such  a  feast  of  blasphemy  and  horrors  do  they  invite 
the  world,  in  their  seductive 

Missionary  Hymn 

uLo  !  the  Gentile  chain  is  broken  ; 

Freedom’s  banner  waves  on  high  ; 

List,  ye  nations  !  by  this  token 

*  Know  that  your  redemption’s  nigh. 

u  See,  on  yonder  distant  mountain, 

Zion’s  standard  wide  unfurl’d  ; 

Far  above  Missouri’s  fountain, 

Lo  !  it  waves  for  all  the  world. 

t(  Freedom,  peace,  and  full  salvation 
Are  the  blessings  guaranteed  ; 

Liberty  to  every  nation, 

Every  tongue,  and  every  creed. 

“  Come,  ye  Christian  sects  and  Pagan, 

Pope,  and  Protestant,  and  Priest ; 

Worshippers  of  God  or  Dagon, 

Come  ye  to  fair  Freedom’s  feast 

“  Come,  ye  sons  of  doubt  and  wonder, 

Indian,  Moslem,  Greek,  or  Jew  ; 

All  your  shackles  burst  asunder, 

Freedom’s  banner  waves  for  you. 


LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

u  Cease  to  butcher  one  another, 

Join  the  covenant  of  peace  ; 

Be  to  all  a  friend,  a  brother, 

This  will  bring  the  world  release. 

*‘Lo  !  our  King,  the  great  Messiah, 

Prince  of  Peace,  shall  come  to  reign  l 
Sound  again,  ye  heavenly  choir, 

Peace  on  earth,  good-will  to  men.” 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


503 


CHAPTER  XXL 

PRESENT  CONDITION  AND  PROSPECTS. 

Co-operation— The  “bull’s  eye”  signs— Inherent  weakness  of  the  system 
— Immediate  effects  on  the  Gentiles— Final  result  to  the  Saints — Found¬ 
ing  of  Corinne — Its  bright  prospects — Trip  to  Sevier — The  deserted 
city — New  Silverado — Mines  and  mining — A  new  interest  in  Utah  — 
Rich  discoveries — Hindrances — Grant’s  Administration  in  Utah — Bet¬ 
ter  men  in  the  Revenue  Department— Experience  of  Dr.  J.  P.  Tag¬ 
gart-More  “persecution” — The  Judges — The  Governor — Congres- 
,  sional  Legislation — “  Cullom  Bill” — Probable  effects — Guesses  at  the 
future — Another  exodus — “Zion”  in  Sonora. 

Early  in  October,  1868,  the  writer  took  up  his  resi¬ 
dence  in  Salt  Lake  City,  and  the  latter  part  of  the 
same  month,  took  editorial  control  of  the  Salt  Lake 
Reporter,  the  only  Gentile  paper  in  Utah.  But  the 
hostility  of  the  Church  had  become  so  great,  that  the 
trade  of  Gentiles  was  ruined,  and  one  by  one  they  were 
forced  to  sell  out  and  leave  the  city.  As  already  noted, 
the  October  Conference  of  1868,  passed  a  wholesale  de¬ 
cree  of  non-intercourse  with  resident  Gentiles,  forbid¬ 
ding  any  Mormon  to  buy  of,  employ  or  in  any  way 
countenance  them.  The  day  of  assassinations  was 
thought  to  'be  past,  but  Brigham  still  hoped  to  keep 
out  the  Gentiles  and  their  hated  principles  by  ruining 
their  trade.  But  as  the  Gentile  merchants  generally 
sold  the  cheapest,  hundreds  of  the  Saints  found  it  im¬ 
possible  to  distinguish  one  store  from  another,  to  remedy 
which  difficulty  came  another  “  decree  ”  from  Brigham, 


504  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

and  soon  after,  over  every  Mormon  store  was  seen  in 
flaming  blue  and  gold, 

“  HOLINESS  TO  THE  LORD 
(The  All-seeing  Eye) 

zion’s  co-operative  mercantile  association.” 

This  effectually  “  corraled  ”  the  trade  for  a  time,  but 
with  that  strange  fatality  observable  in  men  accustomed 
to  having  their  own  way,  which  in  the  very  nature  of 
things  compels  them  to  go  further  and  further,  till  they 
at  last  reach  a  point  beyond  popular  endurance,  Brigham 
determined  that  the  Mormon  firms  should  yield  also, 
and  the  entire  business  of  the  Territory  become  co-ope¬ 
rative  in  fact.  Measures  were  taken  to  establish  a 
store  in  each  ward  and  settlement,  while  the  entire 
community  combined  in  a  large  wholesale  establishment 
with  a  stated  capital  of  $1,000,000.  It  was  purposed 
to  have  an  agent  constantly  residing  in  the  eastern 
cities,  with  surplus  cash  in  his  safe,  to  be  ready  to  watch 
the  markets  and  buy  always  at  the  best  advantage.  In 
many  of  the  settlements  co-operative  stores  were  soon 
started,  and  as  the  people  there  do  whatever  the  bishops 
tell  them,  it  was  easy  to  get  the  scheme  in  operation. 
By  their  religion  and  habits  of  unreasoning  obedience 
without  a  why  or  wherefore,  the  Mormons  were  as  well 
prepared  for  co-operation  as  any  people  could  be ;  and  it 
was  reasonable  to  suppose  the  new  scheme  would  be 
almost  a  perfect  success,  that  two  or  three  years,  at 
least,  would  be  required  for  it  to  wear  out.  But  it  soon 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM.  505 

developed  an  inherent  weakness.  The  Mormon  mer¬ 
chants  were,  of  course,  no  better  pleased  than  the  Gen¬ 
tiles  to  have  their  business  ruined,  and  there  were  still 
a  few  of  the  laity  who  would  not  “jump  as  the  bell 
wether  jumped,”  and  risk  their  necks  in  the  operation. 
The  history  of  co-operative  movements  shows  that 
where  applied  to  manufacturing  purposes  they  have,  in 
the  majority  of  cases,  succeeded ;  but  in  merchandizing, 
nine  times  out  of  ten  they  have  failed.  And  the  reason 
is  obvious.  In  the  case  of  the  manufacturers,  a  few  men 
combine  their  skill  and  labor  to  create  wealth ;  every 
man  knowS  something  of  the  business,  and  has  an  under¬ 
standing  eye  on  its  management :  if  one  can  do  nothing 
but  drive  pegs,  he  understands  that,  all  that  he  has  to 
do,  and  contributes  his  share  to  the  success  of  the  con¬ 
cern.  Every  member  knows,  at  a  glance,  the  intrinsic 
value  of  the  company’s  articles,  ready  at  a  moment’s 
notice  to  turn  salesman,  and  as  their  business  is  all  sell- 
ing  and  no  buying,  except  procuring  the  rude  materials, 
they  have  but  half  the  opportunity  for  mistakes.  All 
these  features  are  lacking  to  the  merchant  co-operators. 
Their  business  must  be  done  by  agents ;  not  one  in  a 
hundred  of  the  partners  understands  the  principles  in¬ 
volved.  Merchandizing  requires  the  unity  and  con¬ 
trolling  energy  of  one  directing  mind  ;  one  average  mer¬ 
chant  or  two  can  show  a  better  set  of  books  than  a 
committee  of  fifty  first-class  merchants ;  a  debating 
society  cannot  centralize  its  energies.  They  do  not 
create ,  they  only  manipulate  wealth ;  the  buying  of  ne¬ 
cessity  equals  the  selling,  giving  twice  the  opportunity 
for  mistakes.  If  there  is  but  one  vote  to  each  member, 


506 


LIFE  IN  UTAH  ;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 


a  small  aggregate  of  capital  overrules  a  very  large  in¬ 
terest;  if  there  is  a  vote  to  every  sha^re,  the  small 
holders  are  partially  disfranchised,  and,  of  course,  dis¬ 
satisfied  ;  dissensions  must  naturally  result,  and  a  thou¬ 
sand  men  cannot  reasonably  be  expected  to  have  less 
than  a  dozen  plans,  either  one  of  which  would  be  good 
by  itself.  And  herein  the  Brighamites  showed  their 
strict  consistency,  by  maintaining  that  the  business  must 
be  managed  by  an  inspired  priesthood,  that  there  must 
be  no  dissension  or  difference  of  opinion,  and  that  it 
“  was  apostasy  to  dissent  ”  from  the  business  plans  of 
that  priesthood;  for  if  such  a  business  ever  becomes  a 
success,  it  must  be  by  direct  inspiration  from  the  Al¬ 
mighty,  requiring  prompt  obedience  and  without  ques¬ 
tion  ;  it  must  be  “  yea  and  amen,”  without  an  attempt 
to  piece  it  out  with  mere  human  wisdom.  When  the 
Lord  condescends  to  run  a  “  dollar  store,”  we  may  expect 
co-operation  to  be  a  perfect  success.  The  end  is  not  yet, 
but  enough  has  transpired  to  show  that  co-operation  in 
Utah  is  not  exempt  from  the  usual  weaknesses. 

It  was  on  this  principle  of  business  management  by 
the  priesthood,  that  the  Godbeites  first  took  their  stand 
in  opposition  to  Brigham  Young.  They  maintained 
that  the  priesthood  should  only  guide  in  spiritual  mat¬ 
ters,  while  every  man  should  manage  his  private  busi¬ 
ness  to  suit  himself.  To  this  the  First  Presidency 
jointly  made  reply:  “It  is  our  prerogative  to  dictate  to 
this  people  in  everything,  even  to  the  ribbons  the 
women  shall  wear.  It  is  apostasy  to  oppose  or  differ 
with  the  plans  of  the  priesthood  in  temporal  matters.” 

Of  course  the  immediate  effects  of  the  “  decree  of 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM.  507 

non-intercourse”  were  to  produce  greater  bitterness  be¬ 
tween  Saint  and  Gentile.  Legally  it  was  a  move  which 
they  had  a  sort  of  right  to  make,  but  it  was  decidedly 
against  good  neighborhood ;  no  particular  violence  was 
for  a  while  attempted,  and  both  parties  contented  them¬ 
selves  with  a  little  quiet  cursing.  .  Social  ostracism 
seemed  to  be  complete;  the  “  loyal”  Brighamite  and  the 
straight-out  Gentile  seldom  met,  except  in  enforced 
cases,  and  when  they  did  either  sat  in  sullen  silence,  or 
their  conversation  was  a  mixture  of  the  “rile”  and 
“  knagg,”  both  exasperating  and  unprofitable.  During 
the  winter  of  1868-69  the  Gentile  residents  of  Salt 
Lake  City  numbered  nearly  eight  hundred,  of  all  ages 
and  sexes,  among  whom  we  include  that  portion  of  the 
apostates  who  fully  associated  with  and  were  recog¬ 
nized  as  Gentiles.  This  estimate  I  make  from  an  in¬ 
spection  of  the  subscription  list  of  the  Daily  Reporter , 
the  roll  of  membership  of  the  Gentile  (Episcopal)  Church, 
the  members  of  St.  Mark’s  Grammar  School  and  Sabbath 
School,  the  roll  of  the  Hebrew  Benevolent  Society, 
including  every  Jew  in  the  city,  and  the  membership 
of  the  Masonic  and  Odd  Fellow  Lodges,  besides  having 
been  personally  acquainted  with  almost  every  one  of 
them.  Besides  these,  there  were  one  day  with  another 
several  hundred  transients  in  the  city,  consisting  of 
visitors,  railroad  men  temporarily  out  of  employment, 
teamsters,  miners  and  travelers,  stopping  from  one  week 
to  three  months.  Early  in  March  the  number  begta 
to  decrease  rapidly ;  Gilbert  &  Sons  departed  for  other 
points;  Ransohoff  &  Co.  sold  out  to  the  co-operative 
institution ;  Corinne  was  laid  out  on  the  25th  of  March, 


508  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

and  in  two  months  thereafter  received  a  large  accession 
of  Salt  Lake  men,  and  by  the  1st  of  June  there  were 
probably  less  than  three  hundred  Gentiles  in  the  city. 
The  arrival  of  the  newly  appointed  officials,  their 
families  and  deputies  increased  the  number  a  little ;  but 
the  general  depression  in  business  has  acted  upon  all, 
and  there  is  no  encouragement  for  new  comers  either 
Saint  or  Gentile.  The  Gentile  power  seems  to  have 
consolidated  in  the  northern  counties,  along  the  rail¬ 
road,  and  though  the  process  may  be  slow  will  even¬ 
tually  liberalize  that  section  of  Mormonism. 

Corinne  stands  forth  in  fame  as  the  first  and  only 
Gentile  town  in  Utah  ;  though  the  progress  of  the  rail¬ 
road  has  caused  settlements,  of  a  hundred  or  so  each, 
at  Bear  River,  Wasatch,  Echo  City,  Uintah,  and  Indian 
Creek.  Corinne  is  sixty  miles  north  and  twelve  west 
of  Salt  Lake  City,  occupying  the  same  relative  place 
on  Bear  River,  the  other  does  on  the  Jordan.  It  is  at 
the  railroad  crossing  of  Bear  River,  midway  between 
the  Wasatch  Mountains  and  the  spur  known  as  Pro¬ 
montory,  some  eight  miles  from  the  lake,  and  in  the 
centre  and  richest  portion  of  Bear  River  Valley.  The 
western  half  of  this  valley,  unoccupied,  except  by  one 
small  village  of  three  hundred  Danish  Mormons,  con¬ 
tains  half  a  million  acres  of  the  very  finest  farming 
land;  of  this  one-fourth  is  cultivable  without  irrigation, 
and  the  rest  could  be  made  fruitful  by  moderate  water¬ 
ing,  while  an  extensive  stock  range  of  the  richest  kind 
extends  westward  and  northward.  The  elevation  is 
4300  feet  above  sea-level,  1000  feet  less  than  that  of 
Denver,  2000  less  than  Cheyenne,  3300  greater  than 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM.  •  509 

Omaha,  surrounded  north,  east  and  west  by  lofty  moun-  * 
tain  ranges,  and  on  the  south  by  the  Great  Salt  Lake. 

It  is  thus  the  central  poinjt  of  a  beautiful  valley,  fifteen 
by  twenty  miles  in  extent,  with  a  location  unsurpassed 
for  natural  beauty. 

The  City  was  laid  out  March  25th,  1869,  by  Mr. 
John  O’Neill,  Engineer  of  the  Union  Pacific  Railroad; 
at  the  first  sale  of  lots  by  General  J.  A.  Williamson, 
Land  Agentof  the  Railroad  Company,  the  sales  amounted 
to  $21,000,  and  in  a  few  weeks  a  flourishing  town  had 
sprung  up.  Corinne  is  the  natural  centre  of  the  Rocky 
Mountains;  the  most  convenient  spot  on  the  railroad  fora 
point  of  departure  to  Helena  and  Virginia  City,  Montana, 
and  the  point  of  supply  for  Idaho  and  Northern  Utah. 
Bear  River  is  navigable  thence  to  the  lake  for  steamers 
of  a  hundred  tons;  and  Salt  Lake  and  Jordan  equally 
so  to  within  three  miles  of  Salt  Lake  City.  North  and 
east  of  Corinne,  in  Utah,  is  already  a  resident  popula¬ 
tion  of  fifteen  or  twenty  thousand,  whose  natural  trad¬ 
ing  point  is  at  that  place;  the  constant  efforts  of  the 
Church  authorities  are  directed  to  preventing  that  trade 
from  reaching  there ;  but  it  is  already  coming,  to  some 
extent,  and  must  steadily  increase  as  liberal  ideas  pre¬ 
vail  in  that  section.  Corinne  is  an  anomaly  in  politics, 
a  government  within  a  government,  a  little  republic  in 
the  midst  of  a  theocracy ;  a  free  city  in  the  Territory 
of  an  absolute  monarch.  For  a  few  months  the  town 
was  governed  by  Councilors  chosen  without  a  charter ; 
this  organization  was  allowed  to  lapse,  and  the  Mormon 
County  authorities  were  acknowledged ;  finally,  within 
the  last  few  weeks,  the  Territorial  Legislature  granted 


510  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

a  regular  charter,  and  the  city  is  now  fully  organized 
under  it.  Corinne  has  a  little  of  the  v“  wickedness  ” 
incident  to  new  railroad  towns,  but  thus  far  of  a  re¬ 
markably  peaceful  character;  morally  she  is  an  exception 
to  railroad  towns ;  the  political  and  religious  antipodes 
of  Salt  Lake  City,  she  is  on  her  good  behavior.  A 
church  and  school  have  been  successfully  established, 
and  this  gem  of  the  mountains,  Queen  city  of  the  Lake, 
has  started  with  a  good  reputation. 

While  sojourning  pleasantly  at  Corinne,  last  August, 
rumors  reached  me  of  an  immense  silver  district  on 
the  Sevier  River,  two  hundred  miles  south  of  Salt  Lake 
City.  Little  was  known  for  a  certainty  of  that  region  ; 
the  spot  was  far  beyond  the  settlements  in  the  edge 
of  the  Indian  country,  and  the  route  thither  lay 
through  the  most  benighted  region  of  Polygamia.  For 
these  and  other  reasons,  I  felt  that  the  Sevierites 
needed  a  historian.  The  man  was  ready  and  the  hour 
was  propitious.  Peace  had  been  made  the  preceding 
year  with  the  Uintahs,  and  the  route  was  just  safe 
enough  to  not  quite  destroy  the  spice  of  a  slight 
danger.  Messrs.  Salisbury  &  Gilmer,  successors  in 
fame  to  Wells,  Fargo  &  Co.,  had  just  established  a  tri¬ 
weekly  line  of  coaches  to  Fillmore,  running  within  a 
hundred  miles  of  the  new  Silverado,  and  on  the  mQrn- 
ing  of  September  1st,  I  took  a  seat  in  their  best 
“  outfit  ”  and  was  soon  rolling  southward  through  the 
richest  portion  of  Jordan  Valley.  Twenty -five  miles 
south  of  the  city  a  spur  of  the  Wasatch  juts  out  from 
the  east,  almost  joining  the  West  Mountain,  leaving  a 
small  gup  known  as  the  “Narrows,”  or  canon  of  the 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


511 


Jordan;  here  the  stage  road  follows  a  “ dug-way ” 
around  the  hill,  several  hundred  feet  above  the  river, 
where  there  is  never  two  feet  to  spare  between  the 
wheels  and  a  slope  almost  perpendicular.  Thence  we 
descend  over  a  long  slope,  with  a  succession  of  beauti¬ 
ful  views,  into  the  valley  east  of  Utah  Lake,  the  Galilee 
of  modern  Saints ;  we  pass  the  flourishing  settlements 
of  Lehi,  Battle  Creek,  and  American  Fork  to  the  city 
of  Provo,  second  oldest  town  in  the  Territory.  From 
there  a  night  stage  brought  us  to  Levan  or  Chicken 
Creek,  a  hundred  and  fifteen  miles  south  of  the  city, 
where  the  main  road  bears  off  to  the  right  of  Iron  Moun¬ 
tain,  while  to  the  left,  a  trail  through  a  high,  uninhab¬ 
ited  valley,  leads  to  the  Sevier,  near  the  head  of  which 
are  the  mines.  We  were  now  out  of  even  Mormon 
civilization,  and  the  remaining  ninety-five  miles  were 
necessarily  divided  into  two  stages,  thirty  miles  to 
Old  Fort  Gunnison,  now  a  small  Mormon  settlement, 
and  sixty-five  through  the  valley  formerly  settled  but 
deserted  during  the  Indian  war.  The  miners  have 
established  an  express  over  this  route,  making  one  trip 
per  week,  and  the  driver  and  myself  were  soon  on  the 
way,  traveling  for  the  rest  of  the  day  through  a  region 
literally  alive  with  small  game ;  jack-rabbits,  sage- 
hens,  and  small  fowl  were  abundant  on  the  high  plain, 
and  ducks  fairly  swarmed  about  every  pond  in  the 
lower  valleys.  We  spent  the  night  at  Fort  Gunnison, 
a  veritable  walled  town  and  city  of  refuge.  The  place 
is  a  square  of  some  thirty  acres,  surrounded  by  a  stone 
wall  with  huge  gates  on  the  four  sides ;  within  is  an 
awkward  collection  of  dobie  and  log  houses,  mud  huts, 


512  LIFE  IN  UTAH  ;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

stone  stables,  “  dug-outs,’'  and  willow  corrals. ,  inhabited 
by  English,  Danes,  cattle,  dogs  and  fleas,  the  latter 
predominating.  It  may  have  been  that  the  poor  peo¬ 
ple  could  do  no  better  on  account  of  Indian  troubles, 
but  as  I  walked  about  this  singular  town  it  seemed  to 
me  the  place  rested  under  the  curse  and  shadow  of  a 
barbaric  superstition.  The  stone  walls  with  houses 
built  against  them  and  towers  for  sentinels ;  the  dirty 
children  resembling  Arabs  more  than  Caucasians ;  the 
heavy  gates  thrown  open  to  receive  the  “  evening 
herd  ”  of  cattle,  and  the  general  air  of  desert  life  per¬ 
vading  the  place  seemed  so  unlike  any  American  scene, 
that  I  almost  expected  to  find  I  was  in  the  midst  of 
that  Oriental  life  from  which  Mormonism  has  drawn 
so  many  of  its  features. 

From  Gunnison  a  few  hours  brought  us  to  the  noted 
“  Salt  Mountain,”  a  series  of  ridges  from  which  crystal- 
ized  salt  van  be  cut  in  immense  blocks ;  around  the 
points  rise  numerous  springs  of  pure  brine,  and  a  little 
further  on,  where  a  stream  of  pure  water  gushes  out 
of  a  rugged  canon,  is  the  city  of  Salina,  now  com¬ 
pletely  deserted. 

From  this  point  we  traversed  an  unbroken  desert  for 
ten  miles,  its  bare,  gray  surface  unrelieved  save  by  an 
occasional  clump  of  scant  grease-wood  or  cactus.  Be¬ 
yond  this  a  spur  of  the  mountains  runs  out  nearly  to 
the  river,  and  turning  this  point  we  were  delighted  at 
sight  of  Glenn’s  Cove,  a  semi-circle  of  beauty  and 
fertility  extending  back  into  an  opening  in  the  moun¬ 
tains,  containing  at  least  six  miles  square  of  land,  well 
watered  and  fruitful.  Moving  through  the  low 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


513 


meadows  where  the  natural  grass  grew  to  the  height 
of  a  man’s  head,  and  then  over  a  tract  of  farm-land,  we 
entered  the  beautiful  town  of  Glenn  City.  Situated  in 
such  a  place,  with  the  water  of  a  dozen  mountain 
springs  coursing  through  the  streets,  this  had  evidently 
been  a  town  of  considerable  pretensions.  The  streets 
were  laid  off  with  the  cardinal  points ;  the  houses  were 
well  constructed  of  lumber,  stone  and  dobies ;  the  gar¬ 
dens  had  been  enclosed  with  stone  walls  of  extra  finish, 
and  the  ditches  lining  the  streets  paved  with  that  care 
and  beauty  which  marks  the  settlements  of  the  better 
English  Mormons ;  while  the  cool  shade  and  agreeable 
rustle  of  the  rows  of  trees  lining  the  walks,  seemed  to 
invite  the  desert-weary  traveler  to  repose  in  coolness 
and  comfort.  But  there  were  none  to  enjoy  this  beauty; 
tall  “  pig-weed  ”  and  rank  wheat-grass  filled  the  streets, 
the  stone  walls  were  broken  down  and  overrun  by  wild 
vines,  the  irrigating  ditches  in  places  overflowed  and 
rippled  unchecked  through  front  yards  and  gardens, 
and  the  cool  winds  from  the  canons  sighed  mournfully 
through  the  deserted  habitations. 

Involuntarily  I  looked  for  the  cemetery,  for  it  seemed 
that  a  plague  must  have  smitten  the  city;  but  there 
was  no  unusual  record  of  death  there.  Beyond  the 
city  lay  untilled  fields,  with  plows  in  places  rusting  in 
the  furrows,  and  still  further  deserted  ranches  and 
meadows,  apparently  sleeping  in  the  hazy  air  of  au¬ 
tumn.  While  the  driver  rested  his  team  for  an  hour, 
I  looked  through  the  place,  for  it  almost  seemed  to  me 
the  people  were  hidden  in  the  houses ;  but  when  I 
entered  the  largest  residence  I  found  the  floor  broken 
33 


514  LIFE  IN  UTAH  ;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

through  and  an  Indian  arrow  sticking  in  the  wall.  In 
another  well  built  house,  I  observed  a 'child’s  cradle, 
still  unbroken,  near  the  fire-place,  and  beside  it  the 
mildewed  remnants  of  a  dress  and  bonnet  and  baby’s 
shoes ;  melancholy  traces  of  the  attack  and  flight,  when 
the  fearful  mother  caught  up  her  child  and  fled  before 
the  avenging  arrows  of  the  “  Lamanites.” 

Fifteen  miles  further  we  passed  Alma ;  a  town  cover¬ 
ing  thirty  acres  in  a  square ;  enclosed  by  a  massive 
stone  wall,  with  towers  at  the  corners,  arranged  with 
port-holes  and  sentry  posts.  But  walls  and  towers 
were  useless  without  skillful  men  to  man  them ;  the 
savages  drove  away  the  cattle  of  the  settlement  in 
broad  day  light,  and  soon  after  the  place  was  aban¬ 
doned.  The  whole  number  of  Black  Hawk’s  band  of 
Mountain  Utes,  who  drove  the  whites  out  of  this  valley, 
is  reported  to  have  been  less  than  five  hundred ;  and 
though  peace  had  been  made  with  him  for  a  year,  the 
Saints  were  slow  to  return. 

At  Marysvale,  the  last  town  on  the  route,  we  found 
three  returned  families ;  and  here  we  left  the  river  and 
traveled  six  miles  up  a  gulch  to  the  westward,  which 
brought  us  to  Bullion  City  and  the  mines.  I  spent 
several  days  in  this  strange  mountain  community,  con¬ 
sisting  of  some  two  hundred  miners  isolated  from  the 
world,  and  made  a  thorough  examination  of  the  district. 
I  found  an  awkward  condition  of  affairs.  There  are, 
without  doubt,  immense  quantities  of  silver  ore  there ; 
the  facilities  for  working  the  mines,  in  the  way  of  tim¬ 
ber  and  water,  are  unequaled ;  but  there  are  no  placer 
diggings,  all  quartz;  and  the  miners  were  men  of  limited 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


515 


means  who  had  rushed  in  from  Nevada,  each  working 
enough  “  to  hold  his  two  hundred  feet,”  but  none  able 
to  buy  and  bring  in  a  quartz-mill.  The  various  leads 
extend  for  some  miles  along  both  sides  of  the  gulch, 
“  cropping  out  ”  in  some  instances  for  three  or  four 
thousand  feet.  That  there  is  immense  mineral  wealth 
in  this  district  is  beyond  a  doubt ;  but  it  is  far  from 
transportation,  and  no  bullion  returns  have  yet  been 
made  to  convince  capitalists  of  its  richness,  or  create  a 
“  rush.”  The  Mormons  manage  to  hinder  progress 
there  in  various  ways,  and  development  is  slow.  But 
I  think  it  highly  probable  these  will,  in  time,  be  among 
the  most  valuable  mines  in  the  West. 

Gold  mining  has  been  successfully  established  in 
Bingham  Canon,  twenty  miles  west  of  Salt  Lake  City, 
and  in  Rush  Valley  some  farther  west;  within  the  last 
few  months  rich  deposits  have  been  discovered,  and 
these  places  are  attracting  great  attention.  Other 
valuable  discoveries  have  been  made  in  Cottonwood 
Canon,  and  with  the  opening  of  the  present  season  the 
mining  interests  of  Utah  become,  for  the  first  time,  im¬ 
portant. 

The  accession  of  General  Grant  to  the  Presidency 
was  looked  forward  to,  with  great  interest  by  the  Gen¬ 
tiles,  in  the  expectation  that  some  reform  would  be  in¬ 
augurated  in  Utah ;  nor  were  these  hopes  entirely  with¬ 
out  realization. 

The  new  Administration  hastened  to  remove  the  of¬ 
ficers  who  had  disgraced  the  Revenue  Service  for  four 
years,  appointing  0.  J.  Hollister,  Esq.,  Collector,  and 
Dr.  J.  P.  Taggart,  Assessor,  in  place  of  Burton  and 


516  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

Chetlaine  removed.  Of  Burton,  I  have  already  spoken  ; 
of  Chetlaine  it  need  only  be  said  that  he  was  the  personal 
friend  and  rather  intimate  associate  of  Brigham  Young, 
often  accompanying  him  in  his  trips  about  the  Territory, 
and  that  he  made  no  attempt  whatever  to  assess  the 
Church  income.  I  am  of  opinion,  however,  that  the 
serious  charges  against  him  in  other  respects  are  untrue. 

Chief  Justice  Wilson  had  been  appointed  some  time 
before  by  President  Johnson,  and  retained  his  position. 
The  Mormon  Associate  Justice,  Hoge,  was  succeeded 
by  lion.  0.  F.  Strickland,  who  had  resided  several  years 
in  Utah  and  Montana,  and  is  eminently  qualified  for  the 
position.  The  Judge  has  had  great  practice  in  the  pe¬ 
culiar  technicalities  of  Mormon  law,  and  enters  upon 
his  duties  endowed  with  valuable  experience.  The 
veteran,  Judge  Drake,  who  had  served  seven  years  in 
Utah,  gave  place  to  Hon.  C.  F.  Hawley,  of  Illinois,  as 
Associate  Justice,  who  has  already  taken  a  high  position 
among  the  few  United  States  officials  who  have  upheld 
the  dignity  and  maintained  the  honor  of  the  Govern¬ 
ment  even  in  Utah. 

The  opinion  of  Associate  Justices  Strickland  and 
Hawley,  lately  delivered,  dissenting  from  Chief  Justice 
Wilson,  in  the  case  of  Hoioctrd ,  Brannigan  and  La 
Valle ,  has  attracted  great  attention  in  the  Territories, 
and  is  regarded  as  an  authentic  exposition  of  Federal 
law  in  Territorial  courts. 

But  it  was  in  the  Revenue  Department  that  the  first 
collision  arose  with  Brigham.  The  following  extract  from 
the  correspondence  of  an  Eastern  Journal,  exhibits  the 
clearest  view  of  all  the  facts  and  deductions  therefrom  : 

“  An  attempt  has  recently  been  made  in  Salt  Lake 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


517 


City  by  Dr.  Taggart,  the  new  Assessor  of  Internal  Rev¬ 
enue,  to  assess  a  tax  upon  the  income  of  the  Mormon 
Church,  which  is  known  to  amount  to  a  large  sum  an¬ 
nually.  In  this  effort  he  has  met  with  the  most  deter¬ 
mined  and  persistent  opposition  from  Brigham  and  his 
subordinates.  Singular  as  it  may  seem,  the  wealthy 
‘  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-Day  Saints’  has 
never  yet  paid  the  Government  tax  upon  its  income. 
The  former  Assessor,  Chetlaine,  was  known  by  the 
6  Gentiles  ’  of  Salt  Lake  City  to  be  the  mere  tool  of 
Brigham  Young. 

“He  accompanied  Brigham  upon  his  royal  progress 
through  the  Territory,  and  upon  one  occasion,  when 
attending  an  evening  meeting  of  the  Mormons,  accepted 
an  invitation  to  a  seat  upon  the  platform,  with  the 
Bishop  and  his  two  counselors,  known  violaters  of  the 
anti-Polygamy  law.  When,  however,  he  is  removed 
and  a  man  like  Dr.  Taggart  steps  into  his  position,  de¬ 
termined  to  discharge  the  duties  of  his  office  without 
fear  or  favor,  the  Mormons  salute  him  with  howls  of 
rage,  and  threats  of  persecution. 

“The  first  act  of  Assessor  Taggart,  upon  assuming 
office,  was  to  assess  the  Government  tax  upon  the  total 
amount  of  scrip  issued  by  the  Corporation  of  Salt  Lake 
City,  $190,000.  The  Treasurer  of  the  Corporation  had 
made  his  returns  regularly  to  the  former  Assessor  each 
month,  with  the  tax  calculated  at  one-twelfth  of  one 
per  cent,  upon  the  circulation,  as  required  of  bankers, 
and  General  Chetlaine  accepted  them  as  proper  and 
correct.  Section  6,  of  the  Internal  Revenue  act  of 
March  3,  1865,  requires  the  assessment  of  10  per  cent. 


518 


LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 


upon  the  issue  of  all  corporations  of  cities,  &c.,  the  act 
not  recognizing  those  bodies  as  legitimate  bankers. 
The  tax  upon  $190,000  at  10  per  cent,  is  $19,000 ; 
the  tax  upon  $190,000  at  one-twelfth  of  one  per  cent, 
is  $158.83,  leaving  the  sum  of  $18,841.69,  of  which 
the  Government  would  be  defrauded,  did  not  the  present 
Assessor  enforce  payment.  The  profits  made  upon  this 
issue  of  $190,000  are  really  a  part  of  the  revenues  of 
the  Mormon  Church,  the  members  of  the  Corporation 
of  Salt  Lake  City  being  nominated  by  Brigham,  and 
their  election  being  secured  by  him  under  the  present 
anti-republican  form  of  voting  in  Utah.  In  the  early 
part  of  last  August,  Dr.  Taggart  forwarded  to  Brigham 
Young  a  set  of  blanks,  at  the  same  time  requesting 
him,  as  Trustee  of  the  Church,  to  make  a  proper  ’return 
of  its  income  for  1868.  Brigham  became  greatly  in¬ 
censed  at  this,  and  at  first  flatly  refused  to  comply,  but 
sent  in  reply  the  following  document:  ‘We,  the  Gov¬ 
ernment  of  the  United  States,  do  not  recognize  any 
such  organization  as  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of 
Latter-day  Saints,  or  .any  such  officer  as  the  Trustee-in- 
Trust  of  said  Church.  We,  the  Government  of  the 
United  States,  have  obliterated  such  church  and  officer 
from  existence  by  legislative  enactment  of  July  1st, 
1862.’  No  signature  was  appended  to  this.  The 
meaning  intended  to  be  conveyed  was  doubtless  this : 
That  the  anti-Polygamy  act  was  theoretically  intended 
to  wipe  the  Trustee-in-Trust  and  ‘  Church  of  Jesus 
Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints’  out  of  existence,  although 
practically  it  had  failed  in  its  object;  and  therefore  the 
Government  could  not  assess  and  collect  a  tax  upon  the 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


519 


income  of  that  ecclesiastical  corporation.  This  commu¬ 
nication  from  Brigham  was  treated  with  the  contempt 
which  it  deserved — no  notice  being  taken  of  it.  The 
Assessor  declared,  however,  that,  if  proper  and  correct 
returns  were  not  made  within  the  time  limited  by  law, 
he  should  proceed  to  make  the  assessment  himself  from 
the  best  information  which  he  could  obtain,  and  should 
also  hand  the  affair  over  to  the  United  States  District 
Attorney.  Upon  the  last  day  allowed  by  law,  Brigham 
made  a  return  stating  the  total  income  of  the  Church 
for  1864  to  be  $440.  The  return  was  signed  by  Brigham 
Young  in  his  private  capacity.  The  blank  oath  was 
filled  up  and  purported  to  have  been  sworn  to  before 
the  Deputy  Assessor,  a  Mormon,  though  Brigham  had 
been  in  the  habit  of  having  his  private  income-returns 
sworn  to  by  one  of  his  clerks,  who,  he  said,  knew  more 
about  it  than  he  did  himself. 

“The  papers  were  immediately  turned  over  to  the 
United  States  District  Attorney,  who  prepared  an  ela¬ 
borate  opinion,  demonstrating  that  the  Mormon  Church 
corporation  was  as  much  liable  to  have  its  income  taxed 
as  Trinity  or  any  church  corporation,  subject,  of  course, 
to  the  legal  exemptions.  The  various  sources  of  reve¬ 
nue  of  the  Mormon  Church*were  also  clearly  and  suc¬ 
cinctly  given.  The  papers  were  then  forwarded  to  the 
Commissioner  at  Washington  to  await  his  opinion  and 
instructions,  and  there  they  now  remain. 

“  The  Mormon  Church  corporation  has  dealt  exten¬ 
sively  in  the  buying  and  selling  of  horses  and  cattle. 
For  years  this  business  has  been  carried  on  by  its 
agents,  but  no  license  was  taken  out  by  any  of  them  as 


520  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

cattle  brokers  until  the  new  Assessor  informed  them  of 
his  intention  to  prosecute,  if  they  were  no!  immediately 
obtained.  The  authorities  own  and  run  a  distillery  and 
a  wholesale  and  retail  liquor  store,  which  are  carried 
on  ostensibly  in  the  name  of  the  corporation  of  Salt 
Lake  City,  but  really  are  part  of  the  Church,  and 
the  profits  all  go  into  the  Church  treasury.  By 
means  of  this  distillery  the  Government  has  been  de¬ 
frauded  of  thousands  of  dollars,  which  should  have  been 
paid  in  the  shape  of  $2  upon  every  gallon  of  whiskey 
manufactured.  Brigham  gives  as  the  reason  for  not 
including  the  tithing  in  the  income  returns,  that  the 
payment  of  it  is  voluntary  and  optional,  and  therefore 
is  merely  a  gift  and  not  taxable.  Unfortunately,  how¬ 
ever,  for  Brigham,  the  facts  do  not  bear  out  his  asser¬ 
tion.  A  few  months  past  a  laboring  man  obtained  work 
on  the  grade  of  the  Utah  Central  Railroad,  now  being 
built  by  Brigham.  After  earning  $50  he  concluded  to 
leave  work,  and  accordingly  asked  for  his  time,  which 
was  given  to  him.  Upon  arriving  in  Salt  Lake  City  he 
hastened  to  Brigham’s  office  to  obtain  his  money.  The 
clerk  hunted  over  the  Church  books,  and  found  that  the 
man  owed  $48  tithing  for  1868.  That  amount  was 
accordingly  deducted,  and  the  balance,  $2,  handed  over 
to  him,  notwithstanding  his  earnest  protestations  that 
his  family  were  actually  in  need  of  the  money  to  pur¬ 
chase  food.  Non-payment  of  tithing  is  visited  upon  the 
offending  members  with  all  the  prosecutions  which  the 
resources  of  the  Mormon  Church  enable  it.  to  employ. 
The  Mormons  estimate  the  total  population  of  Utah  at 
130,000  souls.  These  figures  include  only  the  Mormons. 


521 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 

t  / 

Of  this  number  at  least  33,000  are  required  by  the  rules 
of  the  Church  and  undoubtedly  do  pay  tithing.  Aver¬ 
aging  their  earnings  at  $500  a  year,  a  low  estimate,  we 
have  $15,000,000  as  the  agregate.  This,  of  course,  is 
not  in  money  exclusively,  hut  in  produce.  The  tithing 
on  this  would  be  $150,000.  At  least  five  of  the  leading 
Mormon  merchants  pay  a  tithing  of  $10,000  each  a 
year.  The  income  from  the  whiskey  distillery  and 
liquor  store  cannot  fall  short  of  $100,000 ;  the  rents 
and  profits  of  real  estate  are  about  $25,000  more,  be¬ 
sides  other  sources  of  revenue  not  to  be  ascertained. 

RECAPITULATION. 


Titliing  from  30,000  people . $150,000 

Five  Mormon  merchants .  50,000 

Church  distillery  and  liquor  store .  100,000 

Rents  and  profits  of  real  estate .  25,000 


Total . •••* . $325,000 

Deduct  exemption .  50,000 


$275,000 


“  This  leaves  upward  of  a  quarter  of  a  million  of  dol¬ 
lars  subject  to  the  Government  tax,  and  the  probabilities 
are  that  the  Church  income  is  more  than  double  this 
amount,  as  many  sources  of  revenue  are  not  stated. 
Out  of  this  and  other  taxes  upon  the  private  incomes 
of  the  Mormon  leaders,  the  Government  has  been  sys¬ 
tematically  defrauded  year  after  year,  through  the  con¬ 
nivance  of  an  Assessor  who  executed  his  duties  in  the 
interests  of  Brigham  Young.  The  present  officer  has 
commenced  with  a  determination  to  do  his  whole  duty, 
and  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  he  will  receive  the  support 
of  the  Government  in  his  efforts  to  collect  the  public 
revenues.” 


522  LIFE  IN  UTA'  ;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

Dr.  Taggart  proceeded  to  collect  the,  evidence  show¬ 
ing  the  amount  of  tithing,  and  the  fact  that  it  was  a 
requirement  of  Mormon  discipline  and  the  great  test  of 
standing  and  fellowship  in  the  Church;  and  at  the 
present  writing,  he  is  in  Washington,  to  lay  the  whole 
before  the  Department.  It  now  begins  to  look  as  if 
Brigham  Young  would  be  compelled  to  pay  his  income 
tax,  the  same  as  any  other  speculator.  Of  course,  all 
this  is  regarded  as  “  rank  persecution  ”  by  the  Mormons ; 
as  is  the  enforcement  of  any  law  which  does  not  happen 
to  suit  their  convenience. 

It  is  sufficient  comment  on  the  “  wonderful  industry 
of  the  Mormons,”  of  which  we  have  heard  so  much,  to 
state  the  plain  facts,  that  there  is  no  other  community 
of  a  hundred  thousand  in  America  but  has  paid  twice  as 
much  revenue  as  Utah ;  the  Territories  of  Colorado  and 
Montana,  with  half  the  population,  have  each  paid 
nearly  twice  as  much  to  the  Treasury,  and  added  from 
ten  to  forty  times  as  much  to  the  national  circulation, 
and,  notwithstanding  the  fearful  demoralization  of 
mining  camps,  have,  in  the  end,  produced  a  better  race 
of  men  and  women. 

General  J.  Wilson  Shaeffer  was  appointed  Governor, 
to  succeed  Durkee  ;  he  was  formerly  the  Quartermaster 
in  General  Butler’s  department,  and  is  reputed  in  every 
respect  well  qualified  for  the  difficult  and  delicate  posi¬ 
tion.  Thus  far,  however,  he  has  not  shown  his  adminis¬ 
trative  talents  in  Utah,  but  remains  in  Washington, 
awaiting  the  action  of  Congress  in  regard  to  Utah. 

The  history  of  “  Federal  relations”  in  Utah  presents 
a  strange  mixture  of  the  sad  and  ludicrous.  The  first 


AND  CRIMES  OF  ML  "MON  SM. 


523 


law  against  polygamy,  that  of  July,  1862,  was  utterly 
inoperative,  as  the  Act  of  Congress  failed  to  provide 
any  means  of  enforcing  it.  Two  years  ago,  Senator 
Cragin  introduced  a  much  better  bill,  providing  for  all 
needed  reforms  in  the  J udiciary  and  voting  system  ;  but 
it  was  “  referred  and  smothered  in  Committee.”  Next 
was  Hon.  James  Ashley’s  bill,  introduced  in  January, 
1869,  providing  for  a  division  of  the  Territory,  and  an¬ 
nexing  half  or  more  to  Colorado,  one-third  to  Nevada, 
and  a  small  portion  each  to  Idaho  and  Wyoming.  This 
would  have  been  the  merest  political  quackery,  a  vir¬ 
tual  backing  down  on  the  part  of  the  Government. 
Nature  makes  the  boundaries  of  future  states  in  the 
New  West,  and  this  is  peculiarly  the  case  with  Utah; 
it  is  exactly  fitted  for  one  State,  and  has  the  area  and 
resources  for  the  comfortable  support  of  half  a  million 
people.  Nevada  is  already  as  large  as  New  England, 
and  between  it  and  the  habitable  valleys  of  Utah  are 
interposed  broad  deserts  and  rugged  mountains,  forming 
a  ten-fold  greater  natural  boundary  than  the  Mississippi 
or  the  Hudson.  Equally  plain  is  the  natural  division 
between  Utah  and  Colorado,  and  criminals  from  Southern 
Utah,  if  an  attempt  were  made  to  execute  the  law, 
would  have  to  be  dragged  eight  hundred  miles,  around 
three  sides  of  a  mountainous  parallelogram,  to  reach  the 
Federal  court  at  Denver.  This  bill,  too,  was  justifi¬ 
ably  ‘u  smothered  in  committee.”  Last  is  the  bill  intro¬ 
duced  by  Hon.  S.  M.  Cullom,  Chairman  of  the  House 
Committee  on  Territories,  pending  before  Congress  as 
this  work  goes  to  press.  It  provides  for  giving  the 
United  States  Marshal  his  appropriate  power ;  for  re- 


524  LIFE  IN  UTAH  ;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

striding  the  Mormon  Probate  Courts  to  Probate  and  a 
limited  civil  jurisdiction  as  in  other  Territories;  for 
dividing  the  Territory  anew  into  Judicial  districts,  and 
for  the  proper  support  and  protection  of  the  Courts ; 
that  only  citizens  of  the  United  States  shall  serve  as 
jurors,  that  none  who  uphold  or  practice  polygamy 
shall  sit  on  the  trial  of  that  crime,  and  for  many  other 
needed  reforms.  It  is  reasonably  certain  this  bill  will 
pass  both  Houses,  and,  by  the  time  this  meets  the  eye 
of  the  reader,  become  a  law. 

The  first  effect  will  in  all  probability  be,  that  the 
actual  polygamists  will  at  once  retire  from  the  northern 
sections  and  concentrate  in  the  South;  below  the  Utah 
Lake  region  the  bill  could  not  probably  be  enforced  by 
the  courts,  for  many  years ;  but  the  northern  section 
would  shortly  be  relieved  of  the  only  class  who  cause 
any  trouble,  for  the  practical  polygamists  there  do  not 
exceed  one  in  six. 

The  writer  will  not  attempt  to  forecast  th^  future  of 
Mormonism.  It  is  evidently  on  the  decline,  and  with¬ 
out  interference  could  hardly  outlast  thirty  years ;  but 
with  its  immense  local  power,  could  do  much  harm  in 
that  period.  On  account  of  this  decline,  many  have 
argued  that  the  Government  should  take  no  further 
measures  to  enforce  its  laws  in  Utah ;  but,  with  due 
deference  to  their  opinions,  this  seems  to  me  a  very 
un statesman-like  view  of  any  subject.  What  would 
be  thought  of  a  court  which  should  decide  against  pun¬ 
ishing  a  thief  or  murderer,  “  because,  if  left  to  himself, 
he  will  die  in  twenty  or  thirty  years  anyhow !”  If  a 
church  is  at  liberty  to  violate  the  laws  for  religion’s 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM.  525 

sake,  which  an  individual  may  not  do ;  and  if  the 
Government  has  no  resource,  in  this  case  or  any  other 
which  may  arise  in  the  future,  but  to  wait  until  time 
and  internal  corruption  •  have  worn  out  the  criminal 
organization,  it  is  certainly  a  novel  principle  in  politi¬ 
cal  ethics. 

The  opportune  death  of  Brigham  Young  would  sim¬ 
plify  matters  somewhat ;  but  there  is  still  a  mass  of 
thirty  or  forty  thousand  who  would  stick  together 
under  new  leaders,  and  continue  the  Church  for  another 
quarter  of  a  century.  Or,  in  case  the  Government  at¬ 
tempts  to  enforce  its  laws  and  the  Mormon  Presidency 
gives  the  command  to  move,  at  least  one-third  of  the 
people  would  follow  them  into  Arizona  and  Sonora ; 
but  the  really  valuable  portion  would  remain  in  Utah 
and  become  first-rate  citizens.  The  Church  is  constantly 
planting  settlements  further  south  in  Arizona;  they 
now  control  one  county  in  that  Territory,  and  are 
within  three  hundered  miles  of  Sonora,  which,  it  is 
popularly  believed  among  them,  would  be  their  desti¬ 
nation,  if  compelled  to  abandon  Utah.  The  Hierarchy 
could  take  at  least  thirty  thousand  devoted  followers 
with  them,  and  between  the  Mexicans,  Apaches  and 
Mormons,  we  should  have  little  to  choose. 

The  history  of  all  the  diverging  sects  has  clearly 
demonstrated  one  fact wherever  the  Mormons  have 
come  in  close  contact  with  considerable  numbers  of 
Gentiles,  it  has  invariably  resulted  in  a  great  apostasy, 
a  fight  or  an  exodus.  By  the  usual  rule  we  should 
expect  in  Utah,  first  a  little  flurry  of  war,  then  an 
exodus  of  one-third  or  more  of  the  people,  and  general 


526 


LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 


f 


apostasy  of  the  rest ;  and  to  this  conclusion  do  present 
indications  point. 

Meanwhile,  various  redeeming  agencies  are  power¬ 
fully,  though  somewhat  quietly,  at  work  in  Utah, 
which  are  of  sufficient  importance  to  merit  a  separate 
chapter. 


i 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


527 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

REDEEMING  AGENCIES. 

The  Church— First  attempt— Rev.  Norman  McLeod— Dr.  J.  K.  Robinson 
—Second  attempt,  Father  Kelley —Last  attempt— The  Episcopal  Mis- 
sion,  success  and  progress— Sabbath  School— Grammar  School  of  St. 
Marks— A  building  needed— Mission  of  Rev.  George  W.  Foote— Difficul¬ 
ties  of  the  situation — Number  and  occupation  of  Gentiles— Political  pros¬ 
pects— Gentile  newspapers— The  Valley  Tan— The  Vedette— The  Utah 
Reporter— S.  S.  Saul,  the  founder— Messrs.  Aulbach  and  Barrett— The 
author’s  experience— Principles  advocated — Courtesy  of  the  Gentiles — 
Conclusion. 

The  Christian  Church,  the  school  and  the  newspaper 
are  but  just  established,  with  fair  prospects  in  Utah; 
but  already  they  have  accomplished  considerable.  It 
is  somewhat  surprising  that  such  a  field  for  missionary 
labor  was  neglected  so  completely  and  so  long.  For  at 
least  fifteen  years  the  voice  of  the  Christian  minister 

was  never  heard  in  Salt  Lake  Citv. 

•/ 

If  there  were  Chaplains  among  the  troops  of  John¬ 
ston’s  army,  they  seem  to  have  left  no  record  of  their 
presence,  or  made  any  attempt  to  work  among  the 
Mormons.  The  first  missionary  effort  was  by  the  Rev. 
Norman  McLeod,  Chaplain  of  the  California  volunteers, 
at  Camp  Douglas.  Late  in  1863  he  began  to  preach 
in  a  room  on  Main  Street,  and  afterwards  raised  money 
to  build  Independence  Hall.  A  large  part  of  the  funds 
was  advanced  by  a  literary  society  then  existing  among 
the  Gentiles,  and  that  building  has  never  been  con- 


528  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

sidered  so  much  a  church  as  a  lecture  and  assembly 
room ;  it  is,  however,  held  by  trustees'  for  “  The  First 
Congregational  Church  of  Utah.”  It  is  still  burdened, 
I  believe,  by  a  debt  of  near  $2,000.  Rev.  McLeod  es¬ 
tablished  a  Sabbath  School,  of  which  Dr.  J.  K.  Robin¬ 
son  was  for  some  time  Superintendent ;  he  also  delivered 
a  series  of  lectures  on  various  subjects,  particularly 
polygamy,  which  excited  great  interest.  The  bent  of 
Mr.  McLeod’s  mind  seems  to  have  been  towards  con¬ 
troversy,  and  many  of  his  lectures  and  sermons  were 
highly  polemic  in  character,  exciting  no  little  wrath 
among  the  Mormons  and  some  discussion  among  the 
Gentiles.  Whether  this  aggressive  policy,  or  one  more 
mild  and  persuasive,  would  better  reach  the  case,  is  still 
a  debatable  question.  In  the  autumn  of  1866,  Mr. 
McLeod  went  east  to  raise  funds  for  building  a  church ; 
during  his  absence  Dr.  Robinson  was  assassinated,  and 
as  McLeod’s  life  was  openly  threatened,  he  deemed  it 
best  not  to  return. 

The  second  attempt  to  found  a  mission  was  by  Father 
Kelly,  a  Roman  Catholic,  in  the  summer  of  1866.  He 
spent  some  time  in  Salt  Lake  City,  managed  to  keep  on' 
good  terms  with  the  Mormons  and  from  various  sources 
raised  money  enough  to  purchase  a  lot,  which  is  still 
owned  by  the  Catholic  Church ;  but  he  found  few 
Catholics  in  the  district,  formed  no  church  and  left 
little  permanent  record. 

The  third  and  last  missionary  effort  was  under  the 
auspices  of  Bishop  Tuttle,  in  charge  of  the  Diocese,  in¬ 
cluding  Utah.  In  April,  1867,  at  his  request,  Reverends 
George  W.  Foote  and  Thomas  W.  Haskins  set  out  for 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM.  529 

Salt  Lake  City,  where  they  arrived  in  May  and  com¬ 
menced  services  at  once.  They  found  but  two  communi¬ 
cants  of  their  own  faith — Episcopal — and  only  twenty 
of  all  other  Christian  denominations.  From  that  day  to 
this  regular  services  have  been  held  in  Independence 
Hall,  and  a  flourishing  church  established.  During  the 
two  and  a  half  years  of  their  ministry  a  hundred  and 
one  persons  have  been  baptized  by  them,  of  whom 
thirty-four  were  adults,  and  many  of  Mormon  antece¬ 
dents.  Ninety  communicants  have  been  admitted  as 
regular  members,  of  whom  sixty-six  still  retain  their 
standing  in  Salt  Lake  City;  the  others  have  either 
removed  or  died.  All  denominations  have  united  to  a 
great  extent  in  support  of  this  Church  and  Sabbath- 
school  ;  the  Jews  also  attend  and  contribute,  probably 
the  only  place  in  America  where  such  is  the  case. 

The  Sabbath-school  was  begun  with  a  few  members, 
and,  in  consequence  of  orders  from  the  authorities  of 
the  Mormon  Church,  some  of  this  small  number  were 
soon  after  withdrawn.  But  others  soon  took  their  place, 
and,  in  spite  of  open  hostility  and  private  malice,  the 
school  increased  and  spread,  a  powerful  lever  for  good. 

At  different  times  a  little  over  three  hundred  children 
have  been  instructed  in  the  school,  and  the  teaching, 
whether  in  the  case  of  Mormon  or  Gentile  youth,  has  - 
been  attended  with  marked  and  beneficent  results. 
This  school  is  still  growing,  and  its  light  of  Christian 
knowledge  is  a  bright  spot  in  the  centre  of  polygamic 
heathenism. 

The  Grammar  School  of  St.  Mark’s  Associate  Mission,. 
the  first  Gentile  school  in  Utah,  was  opened  in  July,, 


34 


530  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

1867,  by  Rev.  Thomas  W.  Haskins  gnd  Miss  Foote, 
sister  of  the  minister,  with  sixteen  scholars.  The  Mor¬ 
mon  leaders  again  forbade  their  people  to  allow  their 
children  to  attend,  but  the  attractions  of  free  tuition 
prevailed  with  many;  the  school  has  steadily  increased, 
both  in  numbers  and  scholarship,  till  it  now  has  a  hun¬ 
dred  and  forty  pupils,  and  is  compelled  to  refuse  all 
others  until  enlarged  accommodations  can  be  secured. 
From  first  to  last  four  hundred  children  have  been  in¬ 
structed  in  the  school.  It  is  now  purposed  to  provide 
more  teachers,  and  steadily  raise  the  grade  of  scholar¬ 
ship  until  young  men  can  take  a  regular  collegiate,  or 
at  least  a  regular  academic,  course.  A  fixed  rate  of 
tuition  is  charged,  but  all  unable  to  pay  are  received  as 
free  pupils,  of  whom  there  are  sixty  in  the  school. 
This  is  the  nearest  approach  to  a  free  school  at  present 
in  Utah. 

As  yet  there  is  no  Christian  church  edifice  erected  in 
Salt  Lake  City ;  but  it  is  hoped  there  soon  will  be  a 
building  worthy  of  the  cause,  with  ample  accommo¬ 
dations  for  a  school,  and  Rev.  Geo.  W.  Foote  is  now  in 
the  East  raising  funds  to  that  end.  The  mission  and 
school  have  also  had  the  assisting  care  of  Rev.  Henry 
Foote,  who  has  lately  removed  to  Boise  City,  Idaho. 
The  gentlemen  in  charge  of  this  mission  have  thought 
it  best  to  raise  no  personal  controversy.  Whether  it 
was  an  outgrowth  of  their  personal  disposition,  or  of  the 
conservative  policy  of  their  Church,  or  that  they  hoped 
to  avoid  the  bitter  animosity  which  existed  against 
Rev.  McLeod,  they  have  steadily  refrained  from  aught 
like  personal  controversy  or  a  direct  attack  upon  the 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


531 


Mormon  leaders,  contenting  themselves  with  “  preach¬ 
ing  Christ  and  Him  crucified/’  and  planting  principles 
which  should  in  the  hearts  of  hearers  work  out  in  a 
love  and  desire  for  the  truth.  It  was  but  reasonable  to 
suppose  such  a  policy  would  at  least  disarm  personal 
hostility,  and  that  men  would  not  curse  though  they 
might  not  agree.  But  vainly  would  one  hope  by  fair 
words  to  neutralize  the  venom  of  the  serpent’s  fang ; 
the  blind  adder  will  strike,  simply  because  it  is  his 
nature,  though  charmed  “  never  so  wisely,”  and  Mor- 
monism  when  opposed  flies  to  weapons  of  slander  and 
vituperation,  as  well  as  against  the  persuasive  reasoner 
as  the  fierce  polemic.  If  these  gentlemen  hoped  to  be 

9 

spared  McLeod’s  experience,  they  have  been  disap¬ 
pointed  ;  every  epithet  a  vile  fancy  could  suggest  has 
been  heaped  upon  -them  from  the  Mormon  press  and 
pulpit,  and  the  madness  of  bigotry  has  not  hesitated  at 
slandering  the  ladies  who  assisted  at  their  noble  work. 
It  was  perhaps  as  well  that  this  should  be  so ;  Christian 
ladies  of  such  character  could  receive  no  stain  from  such 
a  source,  and  this  action  merely  made  plain  the  inherent 
blackness  of  the  real  Mormon  heart.  But  surely,  if  there 
be  one  deep,  dark  pit  in  the  regions  of  the  damned, 
which  Divine  Justice  has  reserved  as  too  awful  for  the 
fate  of  common  sinners,  it  is  in  waiting  for  those  who 
have  used  the  priestly  profession  to  attack  the  reputa¬ 
tion  of  woman. 

Preaching  was  begun  at  Corinne  early  in  1869,  earn¬ 
est  endeavors  were  made  to  secure  funds  for  a  building, 
which  was  completed  and  dedicated  in  July  of  the  same 
year.  Neat  and  unpretentious,  not  large  but  commo- 


532  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

dious,  it  is  an  ornament  to  the  city  and  worthy  of  note 
as  the  first  Christian  church  edifice  in  Utah.  Sabbath- 
school  has  been  established  and  regularly  continued, 
while  a  day  school,  as  a  branch  of  the  Salt  Lake  Gram¬ 
mar  School,  was  established  last  autumn  and  continued 
during  the  winter,  to  be  resumed  at  an  early  day.  It 
is  taught  in  the  Church,  by  Miss  Nellie  Wells,  formerly 
an  assistant  in  the  Salt  Lake  City  School ;  it  numbers 
some  forty  scholars,  and  as  the  first  entirely  Gentile 
school  in  Utah,  deserves  a  place  in  history. 

The  residence  and  occupation  of  the  Gentiles  are  hot 
such  as  to  encourage  either  schools  or  churches,  they 
being  miners,  herders,  scattered  traders,  or  transient 
residents. 

The  mines  of  Utah  develop  slowly,  but  it  is  reason¬ 
ably  certain  there  is  mineral  wealth  there,  if  they  can 
find  it  or  properly  get  at  it.  Utah  is  in  the  mineral 
belt,  there  are  paying  mines  all  around  it,  the  formation 
of  the  country  corresponds  exactly  with  those  where 
immense  wealth  of  gold  and  silver  is  found ;  some  im¬ 
portant  discoveries  have  been  made,  and  more  will  be. 
Sevier,-  Bingham,  Cottonwood,  Bush  Yalley  and  Stock- 
ton  mines  have  not,  altogether,  developed  enough  as  yet 
to  create  a  “  rush,”  or  make  any  one  suddenly  rich ;  but 
in  several  places  steady  industry  has  been  found  profit¬ 
able,  and  with  better  facilities  for  transporting  ore  and 
machinery,  with  more  experience  and  further  dis¬ 
coveries,  the  latter  will  come  in  time. 

Any  present  estimate  of  the  number  of  Gentiles  in 
Utah,  is  necessarily  somewhat  conjectural.  As  they 
are  practically  disfranchised,  they  run  no  ticket  and  re- 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


533 


cord  no  vote;  they  have  but  one  organized  church 
society,  and  very  few  are  within  reach  of  that ;  they 
have. never  held  a  convention  en  masse ,  or  had  an  effi¬ 
cient  organization  to  give  us  any  data;  and  finally,  they 
are  scattered  over  half  the  Territory,  with  very  imper¬ 
fect  understanding  or  communication.  From  the  best 
evidence  at  hand,  I  estimate  as  follows  : 


Corinne . * .  1,000 

Ogden,  Uintah,  Echo,  Wasatch  and  Bear  River, 

(100  each) .  500 

Salt  Lake  City .  500 

Camp  Douglas . 400 

Bingham,  Cottonwood  and  Rush  Valley  (100  each)  300 

Sevier  mining  district .  300 

Scattering . 500 


Total .  3,500 


Deducting  soldiers  and  U.  S.  officials,  this  would  leave 
three  thousand  citizens.  Of  the  entire  number,  at  least 
two-thirds  are  voters,  nearly  all  the  non-voters  being  in 
Corinne  and  Salt  Lake  City.  With  the  lowest  increase 
we  may  reasonably  expect  in  the  coming  summer,  with 
the  least  settlement  of  railroad  men  absolutely  neces¬ 
sary  at  the  Junction,  with  no  increase  among  the 
miners,  and  with  little,  perhaps  very  little,  help  from 
those  of  the  Josephites,  and  other  recusant  Mormons 
who  dare  say  their  souls  are  their  own,  the  Liberals 
ought  to  cast  a  vote  of  at  least  four  thousand  at  the 
coming  August  election.  They  will  do  so,  if  a  proper 
organization  is  effected. 

As  to  the  legal  vote  of  the  Mormons,  it  is  beyond  the 
power  of  statistics  to  determine.  At  the  last  election 
of  Hooper  their  vote  amounted  to  15,068 ;  it  could  just 


534  LIFE  IN  UTAH  ;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

as  well  have  amounted  to  1,500,068.  It  was  only  a 
question  of  a  few  cyphers,  which  do  not  amount  to  much 
anyhow.  Deducting  all  those  who  were  under  age,  all 
voted  for  by  proxy,  all  unnaturalized  or  illegally  natu¬ 
ralized  by  the  Probate  Court,  all  those  disqualified  by 
the  Act  of  Congress  of  July  1st,  1862,  all  the  double 
voting  and  false  ballots,  and  the  cypher  would  be  moved 
the  other  way,  leaving  a  legal  vote  of  1,568. 

There  have  been,  at  different  times,  three  Gentile 
papers  published  in  Utah. 

With  Johnston’s  army  came  one  Kirk  Anderson,  who 
soon  after  established  a  weekly  paper  called  the  Valley 
Tan .  It  ran  through  1858  and  all  or  nearly  all  of  1859, 
then  failed  for  want  of.  support.  Little  is  known  of 
this  paper,  except  from  the  bound  files  still  in  the  Re¬ 
porter  office  ;  but  it  seems  to  have  been  edited  a  portion 
of  its  existence  by  Mr.  Anderson,  and  at  another  time 
by  a  Mr.  McGuire. 

The  first  daily  paper,  the  Union  Vedette ,  was  estab¬ 
lished  at  Camp  Douglas  late  in  1863,  with  Gen.  P.  E. 
Connor  as  proprietor.  At  the  beginning,  the  work  was 
done  by  enlisted  men  of  the  California  and  Nevada  vol¬ 
unteers,  and  the  editing  by  various  officers  of  that  com¬ 
mand.  The  main  object  of  the  Vedette  seems  to  have 
been  to  give  daily  telegraphic  reports  from  the  seat  of 
war,  which  were  eagerly  sought  after  by  all  the  Gen¬ 
tiles.  The  Mormons  then  had  but  one  paper,  the 
Weekly  Deseret  News ,  almost  as  old  as  the  Territory,  but 
much  too  dull  and  prosy  to  meet  the  new  demand  for 
intellectual  stimulus.  The  Vedette  was  established  with 
the  concurrence  of  Gen.  Wright,  then  in  command  of 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


535 


the  Department,  with  a  view  to  the  publication  of  offi¬ 
cial  orders,  and  in  the  hope  of  disseminating  more  cor¬ 
rect  information  on  the  military  and  civil  policy  of  the 
Government  among  the  Mormons. 

In,  addition  to  the  old  feeling  between  Mormon  and 
Gentile  the  Vedette  had  to  deal  with  questions  of 
loyalty,  the  Volunteers  being  intensely  devoted  to 
American  institutions,  and  the  Mormons  only  differing 
from  Southern  rebels  in  the  fact  that  they  were  not 
openly  in  arms.  The  paper  soon  became  quite  popular 
and  obtained  a  wide  circulation  in  Montana  and  Idaho, 
as  well  as  Utah.  In  the  autumn  of  1865  it  was  re¬ 
moved  into  Salt  Lake  City  and  enlarged.  Some  of  the 
officers  still  wrote  occasionally  for  it,  but  the  editorial 
control  was  in  the  hands  of  civilians,  Rev.  Norman 
McLeod  and  0.  J.  Goldrick.  The  controversial  spirit, 
which  was  of  questionable  benefit  in  Mr.  McLeod’s  ser¬ 
mons,  was  much  more  fitting  in  the  columns  of  the 
Vedette ,  which  increased  in  popularity  and  ran  well  for 
one  year.  Several  other  persons  contributed  also  to  its 
pages  during  that  time.  The  office  then  changed  hands, 
and  Mr.  Shoaff,  a  printer  from  California,  became 
nominal  owner  and  editor.  But  the  Vedette  had 
passed  the  height  of  its  prosperity  and  in  five  months 
was  reduced  one-half  in  size,  receiving  but  indifferent 
support  at  that.  Shoaff  soon  after  left,  handing  over 
the  paper  to  Judge  Daniel  McLaughlin  and  Mr.  Adam 
Aulbach,  who  again  enlarged  it  to  the  former  size. 
For  a  short  time  the  concern  flourished;  but  Judge 
McLaughlin  departed  for  Cheyenne,  after  which  the 
paper  rapidly  declined  and  soon  was  compelled  to 


536  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

suspend.  During  Shoaff’s  administration  the  financial 

embarrassment  of  the  concern  had  increased  to  such 

an  extent  that  all  the  surplus  material  was  sold,  and 

two  other  offices  were  mainly  outfitted  therefrom,  viz. : 

. 

The  Utah  Magazine  and  the  Sweetwater  Mines. 

Early  in  1868  Mr  S.  S.  Saul  arrived  from  California 
and  deeming  the  location  favorable  purchased  the 
remaining  material,  and  on  the  11th  of  May  the  same 
year,  issued  the  first  number  of  the  Salt  Lake  Reporter , 
daily  only.  The  first  five  months  of  its  existence  the 
paper  was  very  small  and  but  poorly  supported ;  it  was 
edited  hap-hazard  by  several  different  persons,  and 
regularly  by  no  one.  A  newspaper  more  than  any 
other  enterprise  requires  the  controlling  energy  of  one 
directing  mind ;  steady  mediocrity,  is  better  than  vari¬ 
able  talent ;  above  all  it  must  have  a  fixed  policy,  and 
one  common  place  worker,  a  mere  plodder  though  he 
be,  is  far  better  than  half  a  dozen  brilliant  but  irregular 
geniuses.  But  it  is  doubtful  if  any  newspaper  could 
have  succeeded  during  that  period,  no  matter  what 
talent  might  have  been  employed. 

On  the  10th  of  September,  1868,  the  writer  entered 
Salt  Lake  City,  and  on  the  19  th  of  October  took  edi¬ 
torial  charge  of  the  Reporter ,  in  which  position  he 
continued  for  eleven  months,  until  September  1869. 
On  the  first  of  December  he  joined  with  Messrs.  Adam 
Aulbach  and  John  Barrett  in  the  purchase  of  the  entire 
office,  which  partnership  continued  for  eight  months, 
with  real  pleasure  to  the  writer,  but  with  little  pecuniary 
profit.  A  weekly  edition  was  commenced  in  February 
1869,  which  is  still  continued,  with  increasing  circu- 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM.  *  ,  537 

lation  and  popularity.  In  the  spring  of  1869,  the  office 
was  removed  to  Corinne  and  Utah  substituted  in  the 
title  for  Salt  Lake.  Early  in  September  the  writer  re¬ 
tired,  and  soon  after  the  office  passed  into  the  hands  of 
Messrs.  Huyck  and  Merrick,  the  present  proprietors. 

During  my  editorial  labors  I  frequently  had  occasion 
to  discuss  the  action  of  Mormon  Courts,  and  particularly 
after  our  removal  to  Corinne.  Our  County  Judge  was 
the  Bishop  Smith,  already  mentioned  as  the  husband 
of  two  of  his  nieces ;  in  an  article  on  county  affairs  I 
alluded  to  that  fact  with  considerable  severity,  more, 
perhaps,  than  strict  equity  in  journalism  would  allow. 
Soon  after  quitting  the  editorial  position  I  was  sum¬ 
moned  to  attend  court  at  Brigham  City,  and  while 
passing  from  the  court  room  to  the  street  received  a  vi¬ 
olent  blow  on  the  back  of  the  head,  which  prostrated 
me  almost  senseless  upon  the  ground.  Whether  more 
than  one  took  part  I  do  not  know ;  all  I  distinctly 
remember  is  a  confused  rush  and  trampling  of  heavy 
boots,  and  when  I  revived  I  was  being  raised  by  my 
friends,  who  were  taking  stock  of  my  condition  gen- 
.  erally.  My  collar  bone  was  broken  in  two  places, 
and  my  scalp  badly  torn,  besides  minor  injuries;  alto¬ 
gether,  it  was  a  narrow  escape.  There  were  but  half  a 
dozen  Gentiles  present,  from  whom  I  learned  that  the 
principal  assailant  was  a  son  of  the  Judge;  but  I  did 
not  see  and  could  not  now  identify  him.  The  attack 
was  probably  caused  by  my  strictures  upon  his  father 
and  the  Probate  Courts.  There  was  nothing  to  be  done 
about  it,  however ;  it  was  one  of  those  incidents  to 
which  newspaper  men  are  liable  anywhere,  which  are 


538  LIFE  IN  UTAH;  OR,  THE  MYSTERIES 

of  frequent  occurrence  to  Gentiles  in  Utah,  and  for 
which  there  is  no  remedy  there.  v  . 

Shortly  before,  a  young  apostate  Mormon  in  Bear 
Lake  Valley,  acting  as  clerk  for  Mr.  Frederick  Kiesel, 
a  Gentile  merchant,  was  killed  outright  in  a  way  that 
pretty  clearly  indicated  the  direction  of  the  Church 
authorities;  and  not  long  after  a  Mr.  Phelps,  a  young 
Gentile  in  Salt  Lake  City,  was  attacked  at  night  by  the 
secret  police,  shot  through  the  shoulder,  and  narrowly 
escaped  with  his  life.  He  had  the  good  fortune,  how¬ 
ever,  to  kill  one  of  his  assailants.  Such  occurrences  are 
rare  now,  as  compared  with  ten  or  fifteen  years  ago, 
still  they  happen  often  enough  to  make  Gentiles  appre¬ 
hensive  and  not  anxious  to  remain,  which  is  doubtless 
the  effect  desired.  The  most  efficient  government  could 
not  altogether  prevent  this,  but  much  more  might  be 
done  than  is.  ‘ 

I  was  wounded  on  the  1st  of  November,  but  in  that 
healthful  air  recovered. sufficiently  to  travel  by  Decem¬ 
ber  1st,  when,  after  fifteen  months’  residence,  I  left  the 
Territory,  for  a  short  time  at  least.  As  editor  for  one 
year  of  the  only  Gentile  paper  in  Utah,  in  closing  these 
sketches  a  few  words  may  be  pardoned  to  one  speaking, 
it  may  be  egotistically,  of  himself,  while  occupying  a 
delicate  and  difficult  position. 

Of  my  intercourse  with  the  Gentiles  of  Utah,  I  have  * 
none  but  the  most  pleasant  recollections.  An  utter 
stranger,  quite  an  invalid,  and  in  a  condition  where  per¬ 
sonal  friendship  was  almost  a  necessity,  I  received  from 
the  first  at  their  hands  the  most  courteous  and  respect¬ 
ful  attentions.  My  keenest  sympathies  were  enlisted 


AND  CRIMES  OF  MORMONISM. 


539 


for  a  people,  exiled  as  it  were  in  the  very  centre  of  tlieir 
country,  claiming  the  name  and  protection  of  American 
citizens  but  subject  to  a  worse  than  Russian  despotism; 
practically  disfranchised  and  without  representation  in 
any  Legislative  body.  My  social  intercourse  with  them 
has  been  of  the  most  pleasant  character,  and  if  at  any 
time  I  have  complained  of  an  inefficient  pecuniary  sup¬ 
port  for  my  work,  I  now  perceive  that  it  was  due  to  the 
pressure  of  adverse  circumstances  beyond  their  control. 
It  is  a  source  of  pride  and  deep  satisfaction  that  my 
editorial  management  met  with  the  hearty  approval 
of  those  in  whose  judgment  I  most  confided,  and  that 
the  Reporter  is  now  upon  a  footing  that  renders  its 
continuance  reasonably  certain ;  for  I  shall  ever  feel  a 
pride  that  I  once  directed  its  policy. 

As  for  the  Mormons,  I  came  among  them  with  but 
few  ideas  about  them,  and  my  first  impressions  were 
rather  favorable.  My  first  friends  were  all  Mormons, 
with  whom  I  journeyed  across  four  hundred  miles  of 
the  plains ;  and  those  persons  are  still  my  friends ;  they 
have  extended  me  courtesies  which  I  duly  appreciate ; 
I  have  “  eaten  their  salt  and  warmed  at  their  fires.” 
But  not  all  their  kindness  or  personal  friendship  could 
blind  me  to  the  monstrous  defects  of  their  social  system, 
or  the  odious  features  of  a  church  tyranny ;  and  if  my 
feelings  soon  changed  towards  the  hierarchy,  it  was 
only  from  the  best  of  evidence.  That  evidence  has 
constantly  accumulated  until  language  fails  me  to  con¬ 
vey  my  utter  detestation  of  their  system.  That  the 
people  are  frugal,  industrious  or  honest  will  avail  them 
but  little,  while  fanatically  devoted  to  such  a  power. 


'  540 


LIFE  1 1ST  UTAH. 


If,  in  the  bitterness  of  heated  controversy,  injustice  has 
inadvertently  been  done  to  any  private  person,  none 
will  regret  it  more  or  be  more  ready  to  make  amends, 
and  though  some  unpleasant  experiences  have  fallen  to 
my  lot,  I  am  not  conscious  of  special  animosity  against 
the  body  of  the  people.  And  when  a  score  of  years 
shall  have  passed  and  the  principles  for  which  we  have 
contended  are  seen  in  their  fruition,  I  am  quite  sure 
many  who  have  cursed  the  writer  will  at  least  give 
him  credit  for  sincerity;  and  though  there  still  be  some 
who  dissent  from  the  measures  he  has  advocated,  when 
the  fierce  alembic  of  time  has  proved  which  was  cor¬ 
rect,  and  the  test  of  experience  has  shown  what  was 
really  best  for  the  Territory  and  the  people,  I  trust 
they  will  not  remember  their  wrath  forever. 


THE  END. 


■ 


DOES  NOT  CIRCULATE 


BOSTON  COLLEGE 


3  903 


01 


66826 


